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A groundbreaking new media exhibition was been announced in February 2008 by VSA arts, the New York-based international arts organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.

Making its premiere at the World Financial Center Courtyard in New York City, Renascence is an internationally juried exhibition of works by artists with disabilities. Artists were charged with using new media to convey personal experiences—and Renascence does exactly that by displaying startling new ideas from international talent that will likely change perceptions of disability as well as the role of new media in the traditional art world.

"Renascence is the first new media exhibition that captures the disability experience," said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. "We're excited to bring this dynamic exhibition to New York, a city long known for redefining artistic boundaries."

Utilizing digital formats that are accessible by everyone, the exhibition allows all artists a platform for personal expression. Digital media opens up a tremendous and vital new avenue for artists with disabilities to express themselves in unique, non-traditional ways.

Highlights include: New Yorker Leon Lim's four-part multimedia installation, “Silent Story.”  Lim uses a video format to test the boundaries between the hearing and the deaf world by flashing contrasting images from the two different communities. Video, photography, and a blog depict artist Hans Bernhard's life with a mental disability in “Psych/OS cycle.” Mary Behr's interactive sculpture, “MOVE!” is a powerful response to the invasive nature of airport security checkpoints for those with artificial joints.

The anchor piece of the exhibition is Lihua Lei's 40-foot installation, “Phantom Pain.” Transparent, butterfly-like wings float over glass casts of the artist's own legs. Lei, who has polio, was recently named a 2008 National Women's History Month honoree and won the 2007 Newhouse Award for artists of excellence.

“Renascence” will be showcased as part of the World Financial Center program, an innovative series of free performances, exhibitions, installations, and festivals created to showcase emerging as well as established artists. The Courtyard Gallery is located at 220 Vesey St, between West St. and the Hudson River. Gallery hours are from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit http://www.vsarts.org/renascence.