Chun-shan (Sandie) Yi

As a disabled artist, my practice focuses on wearable objects made to explore identity, intimacy, desire and sexuality of the disabled bodymind; and the aesthetics cultivated by the care-relationships within disability culture and community. http://www.cripcouture.org

Why did you choose DHD at UIC?
I wanted to work with Dr. Carrie Sandahl, whose research focuses on disability art and culture. In addition, Chicago has a strong disability activism community and it is considered as the “hub” for disability culture!

What do you want to do with a DHD degree?
Conquer the world and execute a world-domination with my mentor and role model, Dr. Carrie Sandahl! I want to teach disability and art at college level, and produce artistic scholarly research about the intersection of disability and fashion.

Research Interests
Disability Art and Culture, museum studies (arts administration for accessibility programming and designs), arts-based research, social justice based art therapy

Selected Publications
Yi, Chun-shan. “Res(Crip)Ting Art Therapy: Disability Culture and Art as a Social Justice Intervention .” Art Therapy for Social Justice: Radical Intersections, edited by Savneet K Talwar, Routledge, 2018, pp. 161–177.

Yi, Chun-shan. “Disability Culture, Social Justice and Power in Museum Service and Accessibility Practices.” Journal of Museum & Culture, no. 12, Dec. 2016, pp. 5–42.

Yi, Chun-shan. “From Imperfect to I Am Perfect: Reclaiming the Disabled Body Through Making Body Adornments in Art Therapy.” Materials and Media in Art Therapy: Critical Understanding of Diverse Artistic Vocabularies, edited by Catherine Hyland Moon, Routledge, 2010, pp. 103–117.

Awards and Honors
2017 Unlimited International Placement, Unlimited, UK
2015 Nominated as “Everyday Sheroes” by National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum

Education
MFA, University of California Berkeley, 2009
MA, Art therapy, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2005