IN VISIBLE LANGUAGE
In Visible Language is an exhibition of work by 3 Deaf artists, Daniel Katz-Hernandez, Yiqiao Wang and Mava Vazquez, curated by resident artist Mava Vazquez.
In the June 6 panel discussion for In Visible Language, the boundaries of communication, visibility, and understanding are explored through the work of Deaf and hearing artists who challenge assumptions about language and meaning. The exhibition invites viewers to reconsider how meaning is constructed and how systems shape recognition, especially for Deaf communities.
The panel will move beyond accessibility as accommodation to explore how language operates as artwork. How do Deaf artists navigate hearing-centric institutions? Why must Deaf artists translate or explain their work for validation? How can institutions engage Deaf artists without reducing their art to identity? What is gained or lost when artists are defined by disability instead of artistic contribution?
The conversation features outstanding artists and arts leaders: Yiqiao Wang, a Chinese-born Deaf artist whose public works for Starbucks and Union Market celebrate ASL, multiculturalism, and AAPI Deaf identity; Daniel Katz-Hernandez, a Deaf multidisciplinary artist and muralist exploring Deaf and hard-of-hearing experiences, also Residency Coordinator at Anderson Center; Tabitha Jacques, Director of Arts, Culture, and Experience at Gallaudet University, recognized for expertise in curation, accessibility, and placemaking; and Jason Bulluck, conceptual artist, educator, and founder of Liberation Gallery + Studios, whose work examines geography, technology, Buddhism, and Black, Feminist, and Queer thought.
Panelists will discuss their artistic journeys and share perspectives on authorship, representation, accessibility, and cultural translation. This challenges curators to rethink whose voices are valued and how institutions can engage diverse ways of knowing and communicating.
Voice interpreters will be provided throughout the reception, panel, and mingling portions of the event to ensure accessibility and meaningful engagement between Deaf and hearing participants.
This event offers a unique opportunity to meet artists at the forefront of these conversations and engage in a candid, thought-provoking discussion about art, language, power, visibility, and representation.
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Mava Vazquez makes work deeply rooted in his personal intersections as a gay, Deaf male of Latin (Puerto Rican) and German heritage. His imagery is often interwoven with hidden messages. He actively addresses controversial themes to provoke thought regarding the absurdity, resistance, and celebration of his life experiences. He serves as an Associate Professor of Art and Media Designat Gallaudet University.
Yiqiao Wang is a Chinese-born Deaf artist, illustrator, and muralist based in Washington, D.C. Her artwork frequently celebrates the vibrant nature of American Sign Language (ASL), multiculturalism, and the heritage of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Deaf community. She is widely recognized for designing public art installations, including high-profile murals for Starbucks and the Union Market. Yiqiao is a senior artist and coordinator of creative design with the Center for Visual Language and Visual Learning at Gallaudet University.
Daniel Katz-Hernandez is a multidisciplinary, Deaf artist and arts coordinator based in Washington, D.C. He is widely recognized in the creative community for his vibrant visual art, large-scale street murals, and advocacy for Deaf representation in the art world. His work employs a vibrant and metaphorical visual language to explore the lived experiences of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, translating the seen, the felt, and the unspoken into form. Hernandez is the Deaf Artists Residency Coordinator at the Anderson Center at Tower View in Minnesota.
Tabitha Jacques is an accomplished museum curator and arts administrator who serves as the Director of Arts, Culture, and Experience at Gallaudet University . Throughout her career, she has been a dedicated advocate for accessibility, cultural placemaking, and the exhibition of Deaf and hard-of-hearing artists. Jacques received the Champion of Belonging Award from the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG)
Jason Bulluck is a conceptual artist, sculptor, writer, and teacher based in Washington, D.C. His work explores the intersections of critical geography, technology, Buddhism, and Black, Feminist, and Queer liberatory thought and praxis. He recently launched Liberation Gallery + Studios in Brentwood, Maryland, creating a dedicated hub for his community arts initiatives.