Reflection Series – Photograph 3
| Series name | Disability Series |
| Description | This black and white photograph was taken by Samena Rana in 1991. A mirror has been propped up on the wheelchair and make-up has been placed on the seat of the chair. This image raises a discussion about notions of beauty, disability and reflection, and the able world’s notion of what constitutes beauty. |
| Date of Creation / Publication | Unknown |
| Creator | Rana, Samena |
| Associated Person/ Organisation | |
| Location | |
| Collection and Reference Number | Samena Rana (GB 2661 SR) |
| Catalogue Number | SR/DS/8 |
| Copyright | The Creator and/ or associated person or organisation where applicable |
| Access to originals | The originals are located at the Panchayat Archive, University of Westminster. |
| Series notes | Samena Rana captured various facets of the disability movement on camera such as community based workshops and anti-telethon rallies. She documented these events partly out of her own interest and through commissions from a number of disability groups. A lot of her artistic works emerged from this documentation process. One such series of photographs is the Reflections Series, where she uses the wheelchair as a prop or mirror through which the idea of role reversal is explored with the help of friends. The photographs also raise issues around notions of beauty and disability and invite viewers to reassess their preconceptions of disability. |
| Collection notes | The Samena Rana collection includes material from her main bodies of photographic work: the 'Flow of Water Series', the 'Arrangement Series', the 'Disability Series' and other biographical material. The digitised items include mainly colour and black and white photographs. Dorney, Camille, 'Tribute to Samena Rana' in Third Text. No 20. Autumn 1992 (pp114) |
