The Art and Identity of Riva Lehrer
Born in Cincinnati, United States, Riva Lehrer is an American painter, writer, teacher, and speaker. Her creative practice is deeply intertwined with her personal history, having been born with spina bifida and undergoing numerous surgeries throughout her life. These early medical experiences and her time spent in hospitals have profoundly influenced her work as both an artist and an educator. Lehrer’s paintings focus on the complexities of physical identity and the societal perceptions of the body, particularly through explorations of how disability is depicted within culture.
Lehrer’s career is marked by a commitment to the field of Disability Culture. She has served as an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked at Northwestern University. Her artistic endeavors include several significant series:
Literary and Academic Contributions
Beyond the canvas, Lehrer is a recognized author. Her 2020 memoir, Golem Girl, was the first winner of the Barbellion Prize and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Award for Memoir and Autobiography. The work has been described as an extraordinary memoir that combines striking artwork with deep insight.
Her professional contributions extend to curation, as she serves as the curator for the Access Living Collection of Art. Throughout her career, her work has been supported by various prestigious honors, including the 3Arts MacDowell Fellowship, the Carnegie Mellon Fellowship, and the Wynn Newhouse Award for Excellence. Her exhibitions have been hosted in numerous venues, ranging from the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, to the United Nations in New York.
