Those words sit at the heart of the work of Rachel Gadsden, a British disabled artist, activist and PhD researcher at Loughborough University, whose powerful performance and visual art challenge how society views disability and chronic illness.
As national conversations around disability rights, healthcare equality, and representation continue to grow, Loughborough University has spotlighted Rachel’s story, creative practice and academic work in a new short film.
The video can be viewed above and on YouTube. Below, read about Rachel’s story and practice, alongside her own words, and details of her upcoming PostHuman performance in London on 29 January – a work she describes as a “raw act of resistance” that interrogates whose lives are valued and who is deemed "worth saving".
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Rachel’s story
Born with a hereditary chronic lung condition, Rachel relies on an injection driver that administers medication every minute to keep her alive. Art has always been central to her life – a constant thread through every physical challenge.
Originally trained in fine art, Rachel’s practice transformed after being diagnosed with progressive vision loss linked to her lung condition. What could have ended her artistic journey instead redefined it. Losing the ability to create intricate, detailed work, Rachel began to “see differently” – embracing light, shadow, and movement. This shift led her to develop her distinctive form of performance art: large-scale, expressive, and deeply physical.
In her performances, Rachel propels herself towards vast canvases, painting with her hands, body, and brushes, often incorporating props such as corsets, wooden boxes, and syringes – visceral symbols of the medical realities that shape her life. Her work frequently explores the human body and its fragility, and she often collaborates with musicians, many of whom are also disabled, to create immersive sound-and-visual experiences. A notable example is the Roche Change Makers campaign, which saw Rachel work with artists and musicians with visual impairments.
Rachel collaborated with artists and musicians with visual impairments as part of the ‘Change Makers’ campaign by Roche. Watch: https://youtu.be/W5jQbMd-cys and https://youtu.be/5zQaGZmftPY
In 2019, Rachel underwent spinal surgery, which has had a lasting impact, resulting in progressive nerve and muscle weakness. Over the past year, this has increasingly limited her movement, and she now often uses crutches. Undeterred, she has begun to incorporate her crutches and evolving physicality into her performances, transforming adaptation into a powerful form of artistic expression.
International success and PostHuman
Rachel’s art has received international acclaim. Pieces are held in collections including HM The King’s Royal Art Collection, Mandela’s Walk to Freedom in South Africa, FIFA in Switzerland, the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, Hyundai in South Korea and Roche in Switzerland. She has also received commissions for six Paralympic Games – Beijing, London, Sochi, Rio, Tokyo and Paris – as well as four commissions from the UK Parliament.
Rachel, right, performing at the National Lottery’s ParalympicsGB Homecoming event in 2021. Dedicated news story at: National Lottery’s ParalympicsGB Homecoming event: Artist Rachel Gadsden wows audience with explosiv | News and events | Loughborough University
Rachel’s latest work, PostHuman, is a live art and sound performance inspired by a haunting event the artist experienced in 2020. During the pandemic, Rachel says she was informed by her GP that, due to her medical condition, she would not receive medical treatment or be resuscitated in the event of a COVID-related emergency. While this was not official policy, similar cases were reported across the UK, raising concerns about discrimination in medical decision-making.
PostHuman, commissioned by University College London (UCL) Public Art, is a "raw act of resistance", interrogating society’s perceptions of whose lives are valued and who is deemed "worth saving". It is being showcased as part of UCL’s ‘Words Matter’ exhibition and Rachel is performing PostHuman live on 29 January at the UCL East campus (event details and booking information here).
A glimpse at PostHuman – Rachel’s latest live art and sound performance. A live performance will take place at UCL on January 29. Details at: PostHuman - Rachel Gadsden | UCL East - UCL – University College London
Changing how disability is perceived
Rachel’s PhD at Loughborough explores the representation of modern and contemporary disability art, mortality and activism. Through her own creative, academic and activism work, Rachel aims to change how disability is perceived – both within the arts and across society. She believes that real change must start in schools, workplaces, and communities – where fear and misunderstanding of disability are still far too common.
“If we live long enough, we’ll all experience disability in some form as our physical health declines, yet we fear it so deeply”, said Rachel.
“Disabled people are often seen as not having a life, and that’s a dangerous narrative because it limits both the real and perceived opportunities available to us.”
She continued: “Art that makes disabled voices and lived experiences visible has the power to change how people think, and that’s what I try to do through my art. I want to empower disabled people to live the lives they want and to challenge perceptions of disability and chronic illnesses, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable society.
“I also want to inspire disabled people to create and share their stories through art, and to make sure the work of disabled artists is seen, valued, and celebrated. I want every single voice in society to be heard. If those voices aren’t heard, then we don’t really have a society.”
Members of the media wishing to interview Rachel or arrange filming – whether at her London home studio, on the Loughborough University campus, or in a broadcast studio – are invited to contact the PR team at publicrelations@lboro.ac.uk