Athena Cooper | The Extraordinary, Ordinary Nature of Interabled Love
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cSPACE Marda Loop 1721 29 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2T 6T7
photo by: Athena Cooper
Athena Cooper, “Rising Together,” 2024
acrylic on canvas, 12x12" (courtesy of the artist)
Opening Reception: August 1, 7-9pm
Award-winning, self-taught acrylic painter, Athena Cooper, was born with the rare genetic disorder Osteogenesis Imperfecta, (aka “brittle bone disease”) and has been a wheelchair user since the age of six. Growing up, she struggled with society’s ill-fitting narrative that made her feel like finding a romantic partner as a disabled woman was destined to be an impossible task.
In the exhibit, she tells the love story between herself and her able-bodied husband. The paintings highlight the little moments that make up their lives together—from the mundane to the life-changing.