Young artists with disabilities reach for their dreams through art

Education is often said to open doors, creating opportunities and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.

However, children with disabilities and their families frequently face barriers instead of accessible pathways.

With the aim of raising public awareness on this issue, local art platform Frienden Arts is presenting Doors Not Walls (Pintu Bukan Dinding), an exhibition featuring Branden Lim and Priyasagaran Sugumaran (who goes by Priya), two young artists with disabilities.

The exhibition features 25 artworks and is running until May 15 at the  Frienden Arts gallery in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The gallery opened in January this year.

Visitors view Branden and Priya’s works at the ‘Pintu Bukan Dinding’ exhibition, which runs through May 15. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

Upon entering the exhibition, the distinct styles of each artist are immediately apparent: Branden’s abstract works flow with emotion, while Priya’s pieces offer a unique perspective of the world and its wonders, seen through his eyes.

Branden, 15, lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the most severe form of the condition, which leads to muscle weakness and atrophy due to the degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord.

Priya, 19, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a progressive disorder that causes weakness in both skeletal and heart muscles over time.

Both boys are wheelchair-bound, yet that doesn’t stop them from doing what they love most: creating art. It’s a labour of love, and one that allows them to freely express their thoughts and emotions.

Branden (right) and Priya, alongside their families, at the exhibition in Petaling Jaya. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

For Branden’s parents, taking a proactive approach has always been the way forward.

“Education should open doors. But what about the children who never even get the chance at a proper education due to circumstances beyond their control? That is the question that is being asked through this exhibition,” says Yap Sook Yee, 50, who co-founded Frienden Arts with her husband Edmund Lim, 51.

“Education is meant to be the great equaliser, but for many children with disabilities, it often feels like hitting a wall. Branden’s and Priya’s art captures the experience of being on the outside looking in,” she explains.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will also find anecdotes shared from the artists’ perspectives, as well as their parents, weaving an eye-opening narrative about their frustrations with the existing systems and their limitations. There are also their hopes for a better, more inclusive future – not just for them, but for other children and their families who are going through or will go through the same experiences.

Falling through the gaps

When Branden turned seven, Yap and Lim struggled to get him into public school due to most schools not having the capacity to accommodate his needs.

“Multiple schools turned us away. The infrastructure was inadequate, classroom structures were rigid, and special needs programmes were too broad to cater to his needs. Instead of inclusion, we found ourselves pleading, negotiating, and confronting a system riddled with gaps.

“At that time, there was also no policy to allow a caregiver to be at school with the child, so we had to look into homeschooling,” says Yap.

Branden Lim is seen with an array of abstract works in ‘Pintu Bukan Dinding’. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

Luckily, they came across a group of mothers who had created a small learning community, comprising eight children, aged five to nine.

“Branden was the eldest and the only one in a wheelchair. But for the first time, he wasn’t seen as different. He was just another kid, learning, playing, and making friends,” she adds.

Ever since he was old enough to hold a paintbrush, Branden has been painting as a form of occupational therapy. However, it was only after seeing the positive response to his first solo exhibition BB_Lime at Temu House in Petaling Jaya in 2023 that Branden began to truly see himself as an artist.

“I feel happiest when I’m making art, because I simply follow my heart and create what I’m feeling in the moment,” says Branden.

To paint, he lies on his side and his parents will help him mix colours and turn the canvas – all under his direction.

Branden Lim’s ‘Harmony In Colours’ (acrylic on canvas, 2024) incorporates the vibrant hues of the national flag. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

“He also likes to experiment and try new things, so he’s painted using unconventional things, like flowers and long bamboo sticks with a string tied at the end to get the textures and effects he wants,” says Yap.

This duo exhibition has given Branden the chance to build his confidence, particularly with visitors coming to view the artworks.

With the Frienden Arts space, Yap also sees the potential to develop an exhibition series and initiate new collaborations.

“We plan to host more exhibitions now that we have our own gallery. Our goal is to collaborate with corporate companies to incorporate the artworks into their marketing campaigns, corporate gifts, packaging, and events,” she says.

Resilience and art

Priya, meanwhile, began painting at 12, and in 2022 he joined Art For Rare, an art programme run by Frienden Arts that enables people living with rare diseases to explore their artistic creativity by sending art coaches to participants’ homes, as well as providing them a platform to sell their artworks and earn an income.

Priya Sugumaran with his artworks in the ‘Pintu Bukan Dinding’ exhibition. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

Priya was able to go to public school thanks to the Special Education Integrated Programme (SEIP), which offers dedicated classrooms and tailored curriculum for students with disabilities.

However, now that he has finished school, he’s faced with an uncertain future.

“Painting is the only time I feel free to express myself. My art shows my dreams, my struggles, and my determination.

“Even at school, it was the art classes that I enjoyed most, so I want to continue pursuing art. Right now, I’m looking into colleges that would accept me as a student,” says Priya.

While he can hold a paintbrush, Priya’s condition makes it difficult for him to paint without assistance.

His mother, Maliga Arumugam, 44, is a full-time homemaker, splitting her time between caring for Priya and his younger siblings.

Priya’s artwork, titled ‘Amma & Thangachi’ (acrylic on canvas, 2023), carries a deeply personal family touch. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

Priya’s father Sugumaran Appanah, 44, who works two jobs as a car technician and a delivery rider, is supportive of Priya chasing his artistic dreams.

“It has been a challenge, because Priya needs a caregiver to help with the day-to-day activities, which we can’t afford at the moment, but if Priya wants to keep going, I’m going to continue supporting him to the best of my abilities,” says Sugumaran.

Yap adds that Branden and Priya’s experiences are not isolated, and that there are many more children in Malaysia whose stories mirror theirs.

“Through this exhibition, we hope to highlight the urgent need to build a system that truly embraces inclusion so that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.

“Because they too deserve to live full lives,” she concludes.

Doors Not Walls (Pintu Bukan Dinding) is showing at Frienden Arts, Atria Sofo Suites, Petaling Jaya in Selangor until May 15. Appointments are required for viewing. More info: friendenarts.com.