Creative video works envision inclusive futures for Arts Centre Melbourne initiative

Artworks by RMIT students were selected to feature in Alter State, a disability-led arts initiative that celebrated Deaf and Disabled artists, creativity and culture.

RMIT students, Natalie Vigo (Vigo), Zoe Clare (Enixy) and Xerophytis produced creative video works that responded to Alter State’s 2024 theme “Disabled Futures: A glimpse of what’s to come”.

Drawing on their own lived experiences of disability, the students each produced a one-minute video using animated illustrations and personal narratives to show their interpretation of the world, 50 years into the future, where barriers no longer exist.

Their works were shown alongside more than 100 other Deaf and Disabled artists featured in Alter State 2024 through performances, events and in-person talks across seven venues including Arts Centre Melbourne.

Vigo, who studies a double degree in Bachelor of Social Work (Honors) / Bachelor of Social Sciences (Psychology), drew on themes like nature and invisibility to envisage a world where assistive technology is normalised and adaptive to environmental settings.

“I had been thinking a lot about accessibility and access to nature. Being out in the wild can be really healing for a lot of people but is very seldom accessible,” Vigo said.

“We constantly adapt and advocate for ourselves and our communities to overcome the challenges of living in an ableist world.”

We Breathe Underwater - Nat Vigo

Sometimes living with disability feels like living in an underwater city where everyone else was born with a snorkel.

It was an early passion for stories and illustration that led Enixy to pursue a Bachelor of Design (Animation and Interactive Media), and a side-hustle producing comics.

Living on the Mornington Peninsula and commuting to university while managing illness was taxing on Enixy’s body, but it inspired her to envision a world where rest isn’t radical, rather an ingrained part of life.

Her video features the concept of a giant cat tree in a busy city, providing a cosy hub focused on rest and comfort.

“I feel like taking breaks and resting is very important. Not only for those living with a disability and fatigue, but for everyone,” Enixy said.

There is so much pressure to be productive now and associate our worth against how much we “produce.”

Cosy Cat Tree - Enixy

What would your ideal urban space for rest and recovery be? Picture people unwinding, reading, or napping—taking a moment to disconnect from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Similarly, for Xerophytis an ambition to work with animation studios and create stories drove his decision to study animation.

"I chose RMIT because of the diverse options in animation and alternative animation styles that they offer in their course.”

“I enjoyed being able to experience all the different types of animation and exploring the vast range of mediums.”

Xerophytis’s video uses characters inspired by Beastars and Animal Crossing to showcase the diversity of the world through animals instead of people, allowing viewers to relate to the characters regardless of background or ability.

For Xerophytis, being included in Alter State’s program meant that they were able to share their own story and experiences of living with disabilities to bring light to the topic.

“The message I want to send is that the future will be accessible and that being independent even while disabled isn't an impossible feat.”

In The Future - Xerophytis

In The Future is an animated short exploring the possibilities of an inclusive future, where those with disabilities can be easily accommodated and how we can freely be independent without restrictions.

Learn more about RMIT Creative Communities

23 October 2024

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