Christina’s World
Christina’s World is Andrew Wyeth’s 1948 masterpiece, the original was purchased for $1,800 and has lived in the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY for over 75 years.
“Set in the stark landscape of coastal Maine, Christina’s World depicts a young woman seen from behind, wearing a pink dress and lying in a grassy field. Although she appears to be in a position of repose, her torso, propped on her arms, is strangely alert; her silhouette is tense, almost frozen, giving the impression that she is fixed to the ground. She stares at a distant farmhouse and a group of outbuildings, ancient and grayed in harmony with the dry grass and overcast sky.
Wyeth’s neighbor Anna Christina Olson inspired the composition, which is one of four paintings by Wyeth in which she appears. As a young girl, Olson developed a degenerative muscle condition — possibly polio — that left her unable to walk. She refused to use a wheelchair, preferring to crawl, as depicted here, using her arms to drag her lower body along. “The challenge to me,” Wyeth explained, “was to do justice to her extraordinary conquest of a life which most people would consider hopeless.”
The high level of detail Wyeth gave to every object in his paintings encourages intense inspection, but his titles reveal the inner significance of their outwardly straightforward subjects. The title Christina’s World, courtesy of Wyeth’s wife, indicates that the painting is more a psychological landscape than a portrait, a portrayal of a state of mind rather than a place.”
Society often views the disabled (handicapped) as less than human. There is the perception they do not feel pain the way typical individuals do. They do not have the same needs, desires, or feelings as typical individuals and therefore are not entitled to the same rights and considerations as typical individuals.
Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability. Seeing beyond a person’s disability allows us to appreciate their full potential. Seeing beyond is not about ignoring; it is about accepting.
People with disabilities have been one of the greatest beneficiaries of the post pandemic rebound in the labor market, but there is still an enormous gap.
Across all age groups, persons with a disability are still much less likely to be employed than those with no disability.
The unemployment rate for persons with a disability is still nearly twice as high as the rate for persons without a disability.
In 2022, 30% of workers with a disability were employed part time, compared with 16% for those with no disability.
It’s important to note here that the disabled community is highly varied. Disability advocates estimate one-quarter of the U.S. population lives with a disability, but that 70% of disabilities, especially those that are cognitive in nature, are defined as “invisible” and the disabled community continues to face outsized barriers to employment. As a result, just 4% of workers self-identify as disabled.
While admiring Andrew Wyeth’s painting of his neighbor Anna Christina Olson, I am reminded of the invisible nature of most disabled people.
Invisible to society in more ways than we are willing to admit.
Hiring and developing from this workforce is the greatest untapped resource available today.
Consider joining these business leaders who are committed to building a diverse workforce and are enjoying the benefits of a more inclusive organization.