We know the human body exhibits tremendous variation, as do the bodies of people who choose to make art. But how do artists’ lives and bodies impact the artwork they create? What important contributions does the work of Deaf dancer Antoine Hunter or of Carmen Papalia, who lives with a visual impairment, make to everyone’s understanding of sound and sight? In this class, we’ll study present-day artists such as Hunter and Papalia. We’ll also explore in more depth the early twentieth-century artist Frida Kahlo, the subject of a special exhibition this fall at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. We’ll study her paintings, clothes, jewelry, and house to understand her lived experiences, especially in relation to disability. One goal of the course is to help students become more comfortable looking at, talking about, and analyzing art. The bigger goal explores the variety inherent in human bodies, senses, and experiences, and how different types of art—like paintings, photos, sculptures, performance art, dance, and other artforms—help us understand that variety in ourselves. We will also think about how these ideas can change how we live in and interact with the world. There’s a lot of interesting material for us to explore together!