In 1989 a group of Deaf artists and a Deaf art historian convened to discuss contemporary art by Deaf artists. Recognizing a growing body of work that explicitly explored Deaf culture and Deaf experience, the group issued a manifesto that proclaimed a new genre of art, articulated its defining features, and named it: De’VIA: Deaf View/Image Art.

In November 2019, the Memorial Art Gallery will exhibit De’VIA: The Manifesto Comes of Age. Featured will be work by the genre’s precursors, founders, and artists whose work, while they may not specifically identify with De’VIA, reflect the movement’s enduring influence. The exhibition draws principally from the permanent collection of RIT’s Dyer Arts Center, which is located on the campus of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. In a city that is home to one of the largest and most dynamic Deaf communities in the country, MAG is honored to celebrate De’VIA’s significance during the movement’s 30th anniversary year.

shown: Nancy Rourke, Dandelion, (detail) 2011