Feingold Gallery: Hidden Disabilities

I spent over 20 years with a diagnosis of M.S. I struggled with it because it would come and go. Unfortunately I only had medicaid at the time and couldn't get any help. I am an industrial electrician and convinced myself I could overcome it and go to work. I went to California in 1999 during the dot com boom mainly to get away from the south Louisiana heat. This gave me enough income to qualify for social security. I began deteriorating in 2003 and got to a point where I couldn't walk. I got back on disability again and was able to get mri scans. There were no signs of M.S. I have arthritis in my lower spine and a stenosis in my neck which causes neuropathy. With medication and a steroid shot to my spine I can lead a semi normal life. I am ,however, judged fairly harshly by some who only see me on my better days. Explaining my malady over and over is tiring. So I get labeled and along with a sense of being unproductive it is necessary to deal with the scorn .I try to reason this away but it is almost impossible to do. In affect I am the girl on the right.

Yes, divergence of my own mind is what I feel and think first when looking at this composition. Then I specifically
notice the two women smiling, I wonder why. Looking closer I think they like where they are. My eyes turn to the left picture: a wheelchair and tennis. How did she train to get there. How do you teach her to tennis in a wheelchair apart from the physical understanding I wonder what motivation she has internally or needed to be given for her to be smiling while playing tennis in a wheelchair. Than I realize the woman on the right, uhm the composer of this picture must have had the idea to use two extremes that after contemplation are more alike than you can see in a split second if you tend to be prejudice. Well it's must mean that she has a disability below the surface. internal disease, mental disability, blind/deaf, no I don't think see is blind. But she is not doing anything, apart of looking very nice in very little. So more guessing, but more difficult to be engaged.

After taking a look at the two women, I totally agree with the test written in the picture. It does not really mean that if you are physically integrated you are healthy. Mental disabilities are hidden in our daily life. Some mental illnesses are obvious and can be observed easily, however, none of humans is absolutely mentally healthy. We all, more or less, have some certain mental problem.

My first thoughts that came to mind where that the lady on the left had an obvious physical disability. This is shown by the fact that she is sitting in a wheel chair.
The lady on the right may "look" perfect but may have mental and or emotional disabilities that would put her in the same catagory as the lady on the left if all disabilities were as obviously visible as having to use a wheel chair.

I love this piece of Artwork. It actually affects me personally, as I have an invisible mental health disability and look great on the outside, for example my hair, makeup and cloths. Without being conceited, I look similar to the model in the right photo. It portrays the outward beauty, but there is so much more within. The photos express the stereotypes that society has in regards to disability. I always get the But you look great" comment and I want to scream.

Excellent Art work!

I looked at this as if the lady (?) on the left was visualizing herself as the lady of the right. When we have a disability we often fantasize ourselves as different than the reality. (Even so called normal people do this.)

I have stuttered most of my life, yet I see my inner self as perfectly fluent. Indeed, I often notice imperfections in others speech that are often overlooked or ignored by those with more normal speech.

I hope this makes sense in such a brief post!

The Lady on the right makes me think of sexual disorders or addictions. The bottom half of the pic is kind of fogy to me that ssems to be lie or a cover up to one of these disorders like a pic says there are hidden disorders.