It’s rejuvenating to witness an art showcase that fearlessly addresses the elephant in the room. Yucky delves into the complexities and prejudices of living with a disability, in a premise devised by lead artist Sam Petersen in collaboration with Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. 

Showcasing the latest works from a diverse group of Australian and international contemporary artists, the exhibition focuses on the viewpoints of people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and neurodivergent conditions. They aim to give the audience an insight into how people with disabilities know that universal body functions made taboo add unnecessary layers of difficulty to their daily lives. 

Yucky exposes barriers within care systems and confronts social assumptions of democracy: how free are we if certain people can't participate in the public sphere? This is the power of art. It helps us to see, to understand and reflect upon other realities while simultaneously deepening the artist’s recognition of themselves, reminding both creator and viewer that we ask of art not that we understand it, but that it understands us. 

Yucky, ACE Gallery, until 4 May.