An Armenian disabled artist brought his soul to Kazan in the nude style. Zali Sanguino's desire to draw exceeds her limited abilities.

“When one door to happiness closes, another opens. But we often look too long at a closed door to see that another opportunity has opened up for us.”. These wonderful words belong to the pen unique writer Helen Keller.

Do you know why she is so special? Even in infancy, after an illness, little Helen lost her hearing and vision. The poor girl's fate was obvious - to live a dull life in complete darkness and silence. This would probably have been the case if courageous Helen had not taken the “bull by the horns” and decided to decide her fate herself. You won’t believe it, but she became a writer, traveled a lot and shared her love of life with people! How did she do it?

Or an example from life is sad famous artist disabled person from Mexico Frida Kahlo. She spent a lot of time in bed due to severe injuries from a car accident. And even at this time, despite severe pain, I painted. Her creativity was the only guide to the “real happy world”!

Talented artists and writers with disabilities

I suggest you look at life through the eyes of talented disabled people, as if from the inside, get under the skin and try to feel all their strength and love for life. You say: “What nonsense? Why do this?

If you the blues overtook, or you confused in your life, you don’t know where you want to go next, or you suddenly began to doubt your abilities - start studying biographies of famous and successful people, who were able to discover their potential despite limited opportunities! I assure you, all of the above will be taken care of!

Through studying the success stories of other talented people, I discovered hidden talent artist. in a separate article.

Re-read the biographies of these people every time you feel like everything is bad and you need motivation and inspiration to achieve your goals. I promise you that over time you will begin to look at the world completely differently!

Strength of spirit and enormous self-confidence can radically change people's destinies. If talented artists, writers or disabled actors were able to change the course of their lives, why can’t we improve or change ours?

Frida Kahlo's painting "Two Fridas"

At the age of 6, little Frida fell ill with polio, so her left leg was thicker than her right. In addition, she began to limp. “Frida is a wooden leg,” her peers cruelly teased her. And she, in defiance of everyone, swam, played football with the boys and even took up boxing. I put 3-4 stockings on my leg so that it would not look different from a healthy one.

At the age of 17, young Frida was in a serious accident. The bus she was traveling in collided with a tram. She suffered serious spinal injuries, a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis.

Additionally, her abdomen and uterus were punctured by a metal fracture. Whole year she was bedridden, and health problems remained for life. Frida Kahlo underwent numerous surgeries and spent months in the hospital. Despite her great desire, she was never able to become a mother.

Frida Kahlo

It was after the tragedy that she asked her father for paints and brushes and began to paint. A special stretcher was made for Frida, which allowed her to write while lying down.

A mirror was attached to her bed so that she could see herself clearly. Her first painting was a self-portrait, which forever determined the main direction of her work. Famous Quote Frida: “I write myself because I spend a lot of time alone and because I am the subject I know best.”

The desire to live and move helped Frida recover slightly from her injuries and even regain her ability to walk. But she was still tied to hospitals and suffered from severe pain.

Frida Kahlo and photo of the painting on the left “Broken Column”

About the painting “Broken Column”: Suffering from severe pain, Frida Kahlo was forced to wear a steel corset for several months. In this state, it was not only difficult for her to move, but also to breathe. Despite the severe consequences of the accident, even at such a difficult time in her life, she found the strength and courage to draw. The picture was painted during this period, with severe pain throughout the body. Only through creativity was the disabled artist able to convey his state of inner wounded world!

She painted a lot, apparently, this was one of the activities that gave her more pleasure than life itself. The film “Frida” was made about her difficult, broken fate, which I recommend watching in order to feel even more strongly the willpower and love for life of this small, fragile woman.

In not a single self-portrait does Frida smile: a serious, even mournful face, fused thick eyebrows, a barely noticeable black mustache above tightly compressed sensual lips. In many paintings you can see flowers in her hair, and Frida herself is surrounded by animals.

The idea of ​​her paintings is encrypted in the details, the background, the figures appearing next to Frida.

Self-portraits of Frida Kahlo

The symbolism of the artist, art critics say, is based on national traditions, is closely associated with Indian mythology before the Spanish period. Frida Kahlo knew the history of her homeland brilliantly. Among the artists with disabilities, there are those who are also unusual - I invite you to meet others talented artists with limited physical capabilities.

Another story - no less amazing and inspiring, get acquainted Helen Adams Keller – American writer, lecturer and political activist. Her biography of life did not hook me less artist disabled person

IN early childhood she suffered from an illness that resulted in complete loss of hearing and vision. Despite this, Helen became the first deaf-blind person to receive a bachelor's degree! She was able to break through the barrier with virtually no knowledge of the language.

Blind and deaf writer Helen Keller

And in the end, I found a way to communicate with the world. In addition, Helen became an active political activist and renowned lecturer. She traveled a lot and openly expressed her opinion about the inadmissibility of military action, advocated voting rights women, workers' rights and socialism.

In total, she visited 35 countries. How did a blind and deaf woman convey her thoughts to other people?

At first, her communication was through the pronunciation of words “in hand.” At first glance, this may seem incredible. How it works? She imitated words on her palm with her fingers. Every letter English alphabet had a corresponding equivalent in that language. This method was taught to her by a young teacher at home, who spent her entire life next to the future writer. In addition, the teacher herself had poor eyesight.

Helen Keller at work

And soon, Helen's training became a significant breakthrough in special pedagogy, she mastered the principles of operation of a special typewriter. This method of teaching her was the first to be reliably documented. Many teaching methods for people with similar disabilities were based on it. Helen Keller became a symbol of struggle for many people with disabilities, not just the deaf and dumb.

Helen Keller is the author of seven books and has written approximately 478 articles. about socialism, about blindness, about religion... One of the books - autobiographical story“Story of my life” has been translated into 50 languages, and in 2003 the book was published in Russian. Streets all over the world are named after her, her name is included in National Hall glory of US women, which includes the most significant women in the history of the country.

The talented and disabled writer received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, one of the country's two highest civilian honors.

Helen Keller lived a long and interesting life, having been disabled since childhood. Imagine if the story could have been different life is boring, not interesting and we would never have known about its existence and the power that lived in it!

So who ultimately decides the fate of people, us or the orders from above? I don’t know about you, but I believe that God lives inside us, he guides and tells us what to do: accept and measure up or fight and BE! The writer died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, 26 days before her birthday. And she would not be a little 88 years old.

Helen Keller

What do you think when you hear amazing stories not quite fate ordinary people? What emotions do you experience at this?

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According to statistics, about 10 percent of the world's population, or approximately 650 million people, live with a disability. However, disability is not a death sentence. Looking at these works of art, it is impossible to believe that they were created by people with disabilities. Their creativity is special way self-expression that they use to connect with the world. These people prove that disability does not put an end to life, but sometimes, on the contrary, helps develop hidden potential.

1. Mariusz Kedzierski was born without arms, but despite this he realized his dream: he paints realistic portraits

2. Stephen Wiltshire was diagnosed with autism at age 3 and is now known for drawing highly detailed landscapes from memory.

3. When Iris Grace was diagnosed with autism, her parents decided to introduce her to painting.

4. Peter Longstaff was born without arms, but he never considered himself disabled

5. Born with cerebral palsy, Paul Smith uses just one finger and a typewriter to create stunning paintings.

6. Huang Guofu lost both his arms in a terrible accident at the age of four, but that didn't stop him from following his dream: he started painting with his feet.

7. Rakan Abdulaziz Kurdi proves that disability is not a barrier to creativity with these realistic paintings

8. Born with cerebral palsy, Doug Jackson paints with a brush attached to a special headband. Jackson began painting at age 11 and received worldwide acclaim for his impressionistic style.

9. Doug Landis was paralyzed from the neck down after an accident during a high school football game. He was inspired by a drawing he saw on a Christmas card and decided to start drawing with his mouth.

10. Steve Chambers paints a landscape with a brush in his mouth because he was born with no muscles in his arms.

11. John Bramblitt's eyes can only distinguish between light and dark. Despite this, he paints using textured paints that leave a raised trail behind when they dry.

12. Zali Sanguino’s desire to draw exceeds her limited abilities.

13. Henry Fraser has been paralyzed from the shoulders down since he was 17 years old, but he endured it humbly and continued to be creative.

14. Lianna Bizam paints incredible pictures despite the fact that her body is paralyzed.

15. British artist Sargi Mann began to go blind after turning thirty. Before going completely blind, he became a landscape painter. Despite his vision problems, he continued to draw and still paints, but now his works have become more complex and mysterious

16. Brian Tagalog was born without arms, but that doesn't stop him from living life to the fullest. Brian believes he is the only certified hands-free tattoo artist in the world

Information provided by Valentina Agafonova. ([email protected])

For Christmas I received a large envelope in the mail. I was very happy, the envelope contained original Christmas cards and a calendar with illustrations of paintings by artists unknown to me for the next year.
The unexpected gift was accompanied by a handwritten letter with a photograph. A pretty middle-aged woman with the kindest smile on her face, Maria Dolores Basquez Aznar, is captured in a photograph sitting in a chair and holding an ordinary pen in her LEGS. With this pen, held between the toes of her LEFT FOOT, she wrote a full-page congratulatory letter.
This is how I became acquainted with the Association of Artists Who Write with Their Mouths or Feet.

A P B P -Asociacion pintores con la Boca y con el Pie.

Founded in 1957. For half a century, the association has been supporting all over the world with great success artists who, due to illness or disability, cannot create work with their hands and do it either with their mouth or feet.

The small group of 18 people grew over time into an International Association that today has 726 members from 74 countries. There are artists from Australia, Bermuda, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Peru, etc... It’s impossible to believe, there are no artists from Russia in the Association. This was confirmed to me by the director of the Spanish branch of the Association, Sonsoles Behar. Here is an excerpt from her letter dated February 12, 2008:

“..Currently we do not have an office in Russia. Not only in Russia, in many countries there are no offices and therefore we also cannot distribute postcards and calendars. But there are disabled artists who cannot use their hands and write with their mouth or feet. If there are artists in your country who fall under these characteristics, we can consider the possibility of them joining our Association.

The association is constantly looking for talent among people with disabilities. In many cases, these people received their first contact with painting while undergoing rehabilitation therapy.”

Jose Morillo Chimenes-year of birth 1948. He was an ordinary active boy. While working in a bakery, he suffered a spinal injury. Paralysis of the upper and lower extremities is a terrible diagnosis, almost a sentence at 17 years old. Now Jose is an artist with capital letters. Writes with his mouth. Participates in numerous exhibitions.

Manuel Parreno Rivera-year of birth 1938. At seven months of age he suffered from polio. Paralysis of the upper limbs did not dampen his childhood desire to draw. At the age of four he made his first drawings with his toes, and at 8 he won the school competition drawings. He received an art education at the School of Art and developed his own writing technique. His picturesque landscapes and portraits are exhibited internationally in individual and collaborative exhibitions. He is a member of the Association's meeting of directors.

Pilar Porras Murillo- born 1944 Born in a large family poor family. I couldn't get any education. Due to a congenital disease, he cannot use his hands. As a child, she learned to sew by mouth, helping her mother earn a living. At the age of 50, she was placed in a special center, where, supported by her fellow sufferers and teachers, she mastered the technique of drawing. Now she is taking painting lessons from a certified teacher.

Bauer Anatoly. All further information is provided by the artist himself.
Born August 16, 1982.
He started painting at the age of 17. At Anatoly's unique technique: the artist paints while holding a brush in his mouth - and this is not a desire to shock the audience. Anatoly has been disabled since childhood. The muscles of his arms and legs are very poorly developed. Even 4 complex operations did not help. However, he had the courage not to give up. He has learned to move independently and does not have complexes among his friends about his health limitations. The great desire and help of Lidia Dmitrievna’s mother helped Anatoly graduate high school at home with a good certificate. 1999 - beginning creative career painter.
Big influence the desire to paint, and specifically in the style of surrealism and modern fantasy, was influenced by the work of Salvador Dali and Boris Valeggio. The only teacher who laid down the basics of the technique was an art teacher I knew. Since then, an independent journey began to improve the technical base and gradually mastered new drawing techniques. Over time, Anatoly learned to draw small parts compositions. The artist does not identify himself with any of the painting movements. There is a delicate balance between fantasy and reality in his paintings. Dreams and reality are easily intertwined in his canvases.
Anatoly made another dream of his come true - a personal exhibition of paintings. A. Bauer exhibited three times: in 2001, 2002 and 2005. These exhibitions took place in hometown Shymkent. In 2006 he took part in the “Young Artists” campaign. The following years he worked for the soul and to order. In April 2012 received an invitation to become permanent participant art gallery"Art Life". July 18 this year participated in a gallery presentation, where he exhibited eight paintings from different creative periods. From the “Art Life” gallery, Anatoly took part in the exhibition “Art that Gives Happiness” in Aktau and in Taldykurgan at the Republican festival “Light up your star”.
Today most of The paintings are in private collections in Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, France, Greece and Turkey. Personal website: www.anatoliybauer.com Email: [email protected]

I read the stories of these people and never cease to be amazed. Their stories are very different: some were born with cerebral paralysis and are only able to move their heads slightly, some received a spinal injury after jumping from a cliff into the sea in their youth, some gradually had their sore limbs amputated throughout their lives, some acquired disability in a car accident, etc. These people, unable to simply survive alone, did not become a burden to their households or society. They didn’t hide in their shell and didn’t drink out of grief. Their life is filled with art. Their paintings sparkle with the colors of life. They united and created their own Association. The Association exists as a democratic cooperative. All members have the right to vote in the activities of the enterprise of which they are private owners.

Newly entered aspiring artists receive a scholarship to obtain art education, purchasing materials, paints and brushes, to pay the teacher. As the artistic level increases, the stipend increases. When an artist achieves proficiency equivalent to that of a non-disabled professional, he or she becomes a full member. This means lifelong monthly payment even if the disease progresses and the artist can no longer paint.

Where does the income to support the organization come from? Sale of paintings, exhibitions. And main income-sale Christmas cards by mail. It is stipulated that receiving postcards does not oblige you to pay for them; you can voluntarily go to the bank and pay 8-10 euros, or another amount.

Participation in the Association allows artists to devote all their time to art. Administrative matters are in the hands of professionals, trust in whom is expressed by the artists themselves.

I also wanted to write about the director of the Spanish branch of the Association Sonsoles Behar, asked her to answer a few questions, to which she sent a polite answer: “Thank you for your attention to my person, but I prefer that photographs of artists and their paintings be published, they -Main characters,"

And one more thing: what about our situation with the association of disabled artists? I searched the Internet, but found nothing about the Association. The SeverInform agency reported on the personal exhibition of Vladimir Nabatov from Vologda, painting mouth. Experts, international organizations, and the public became interested in the disabled amateur artist, the article says. Well, thank God! Maybe the ice will break!

Anyone who has lost the ability to use their hands and who writes with their hand in their mouth or toes, regardless of skin color, race, or religion, can BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION /APBP/.

I think that if anyone who reads this article is familiar with any artist with the above characteristics, they should definitely tell him about the opportunity to meet people like him, learn from their wonderful experience and discover a new world.

The artist Ivan Galanichev has no arms and a prosthetic instead of a leg. He spent half his life in an orphanage and in hospitals. Despite this, he never lost heart and lived with one big dream - to draw.

He hugged passers-by and shouted: “Mom!”

Artist Ivan Galanichev was born in the city of Dzerzhinsk. The boy was born with a limb defect. His parents abandoned him immediately after birth, and until he was six years old he lived in an orphanage. Vanya was then sent to a boarding school for disabled children in Oryol region. The boy had to learn to do everything himself and do without outside help. “It was hard without my parents,” he says, “there were times when I mistook women passing on the street for my mother. He rushed to her, hugged her, shouted: “Mom!”

Galanichev spent most of his childhood in hospitals. First, it was decided for the boy to undergo surgery on his leg - to stretch and lengthen it. Vanya spent ten years in medical institution almost a year, and spent half of that time without getting out of bed. He was jealous of the other children, his neighbors in the ward: their parents visited them, but no one came to Vanya. One of the hospital employees noticed this and asked her artist friends to visit the boy. This is how Vanya made friends.

During one of the many operations, the boy's stumps were split open and something like two fingers were made. Vanya began to learn to draw.

Moving to St. Petersburg

After this, the boy was sent to St. Petersburg - to the Research Institute of Prosthetics. The head of the department where Vanya was located noticed his talent and offered to paint the walls of the hospital with drawings, to which young artist I agreed with pleasure. Representatives of the Golden Pelican charity foundation saw his drawings and invited Vanya to collaborate. He was given a small workshop on the territory of the foundation and helped to rent a room in St. Petersburg. But the main thing is that it was at the research institute that the artist met his future wife Maria.

Ivan confidently and deftly works with a brush. It takes him from one to three days- depends on inspiration. In all 13 years, the artist’s cramped studio has never undergone any renovations. Plaster is falling off the ceiling and paint is peeling off the walls. There is practically no room left in it for paintings - Ivan has several hundred of them. He mainly paints landscapes and temples. “They are beautiful,” the artist smiles. Galanichev copies churches from postcards, photographs and posters. He finds some things on his own, others are sent to him by his friends.

Galanichev graduated from Professional rehabilitation center specializing in wood painting. His paintings participated in international exhibitions in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, in the Grand Hotel Europe. And in 2005 it opened personal exhibition in Smolny - not every artist can boast of such an achievement.

faith in the future

Six months ago, the most important thing happened in Galanichev’s life - a daughter was born. The girl was named symbolically: Vera. Ivan helps his wife with everything - cooking, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry and even making repairs. “If we are going to take our daughter to the clinic,” says Ivan, “I don’t plan anything else - consider it will take the whole day.” The artist lives poorly - on a disability pension and a small fund salary.

According to Ivan, his friends help him in many ways. The artist meets all daily difficulties with a smile: “I am incredibly happy that I have a full-fledged family and wonderful friends,” shares Ivan. “As they say, don’t have a hundred rubles!” With this rhythm, the artist manages to come to the studio several times a week to paint. Ivan no longer works at home: “I tried before,” the artist smiles, “but now I don’t. One day I was painting a picture at home, I was almost finished. Then I got distracted: I had to help Masha with something. When I returned to the room, my nephew was already finishing the painting for me with bright blue paints.”

Ivan has cherished dream: organize your own fund to help disabled children: “I want to give children what I didn’t have in my childhood,” says Ivan. “So that the children are happy.”

Xi Fu's story tells us how much determination, perseverance and hard work a person can have to survive in a harsh society with inaccessible infrastructure and where people with disabilities often face discrimination. Surrounded by fabric, paper, brushes and paints, 34 summer man, whose name translates to “seeker of happiness,” often appears in the underground passages of the busy Xidan shopping district or the Houhai tourist district in Beijing. With enviable dexterity with his feet, he mixes paints, lays out brushes and spreads out the paper on which he plans to paint. Holding his hand between his toes, Xi Fu literally mesmerizes the rapidly gathering crowd for the next hour by skillfully demonstrating his calligraphic art using only his feet. Chinese characters he often writes simple but inspiring proverbs such as: 'zhi zhu chang le' (feeling satisfied is happiness) or 'fen jin' (move forward boldly). When he finishes such work, the entire assembled audience beams with smiles. Since there are no events or exhibitions for artists like Xi Fu, they have taken to the streets and occupied the underground passages where the flow of people is most dense. IN lucky days Xi Fu earns up to 100 yuan (12.44 euros) in one day. It is not easy for him, since police officers are authorized to remove beggars, peddlers and similar artists. In addition, his physical condition does not allow him to work more than three hours a day. When the artist was asked about his dream, his face lit up with a cheerful smile. “My profession has given me many friends, and this has made me happy. IN next year I plan to open my exhibition and, if health allows, continue my activities.” (photo by How Hwee Young/European News Agency)

1. Disabled Chinese artist Xi Fu spreads out rice paper to begin painting in an underpass in the Xidan shopping district. Street artist-the calligraphist was injured after he childhood, he was dropped by a nurse in the hospital. Since then, his arms have been paralyzed and he suffers from severe pain in his shoulders and back.

2. Xi Fu puts his signature on one of the works of Chinese calligraphy, which he himself performed with his feet in an underground passage in the Xidan district of Beijing.

3. Xi Fu mixes paints with his feet, preparing for the performance in the underground passage.

4. To the admiring glances of the crowd, Xi Fu writes the proverb ‘fen jing’ (move forward boldly).

5. Xi Fu counts the day's revenue, mostly one yuan notes.

6. The artist demonstrates his working tool - a leg stained with paint.

7. Xi Fu winces from acute muscle pain and tries to stretch his sore muscles while sitting on his bed in a house on the outskirts of Beijing, China.

8. Xi Fu folds Business Cards with his name in a house in Daxing, on the outskirts of Beijing. Few people can master the art of Chinese calligraphy with working hands, and doing it with their feet is doubly difficult. However, this was no problem for disabled artist Xi Fu. The 34-year-old, whose name translates to “seeker of happiness,” often appears in the underground passages of the bustling Xidan shopping district or the Houhai tourist district in Beijing.

9. Xi Fu and his mother Dong Xifeng have lunch at their home in Daxing on the outskirts of Beijing. The street artist lives with his parents, but does his best to pay for his personal expenses and food.

10. Xi Fu shaves his head while holding the razor with his foot at his home in Daxing, China.

11. Xi Fu listens to music at his home in Daxing, on the outskirts of Beijing. Listening to music and browsing the microblogs of your friends are two of the favorite pastimes of a street calligraphist.

12. Dong Xifeng (left) - the mother of a disabled artist - watches her son relax in their home on the outskirts of Beijing.

13. Xi Fu on the threshold of his home in Daxing, on the outskirts of Beijing, China.

14. Xi Fu rides his tricycle, steering it with his feet. Every day he rides a tricycle to his place of work, and his mother comes out to see him off. A street calligraphy artist often travels long distances from the outskirts of Beijing to the city center to satisfy the curiosity of the crowds there. In order not to interrupt work winter period When traveling by tricycle is quite cold, the fearless Xi Fu goes to the southern provinces such as Yunnan and Guangzhou to continue his performances there.

15. Xi Fu watches his calligraphy teacher, Liu Shenwei, work during a class at the Daxing Arts Center, on the outskirts of Beijing. At the age of 18, Xi Fu graduated from kindergarten art class in this center and began to learn painting from another teacher, who taught him for free. Then two more teachers noticed Xi Fu's talent and began teaching him calligraphy. Xi Fu trains for several hours every day, despite the fact that it is quite painful for him to stay in the same position for several hours on end. Only after three years of study, the artist was able to draw well enough to earn a living from it.

16. Xi Fu sits next to calligraphy samples during a class with his teacher in Daxing, China.

17. Silhouette of Xi Fu as he came out underground passage in Xidan District, Beijing. IN last years Xi Fu's condition worsened. Muscle pain became more frequent and painful, it became more difficult for the artist to move. He used to walk upright, but now the pain made him stoop. The artist's brother helps him get treatment at a good clinic, but Xi Fu is worried about the high costs. The patient does not have any insurance to receive government assistance for the disabled.