{"id":2952,"date":"2025-04-11T16:30:35","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T16:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/?p=2952"},"modified":"2025-05-05T19:18:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T19:18:00","slug":"disability-in-flux-eliza-lutzs-first-impressions-and-the-complexity-of-representation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/blog\/2025\/04\/11\/disability-in-flux-eliza-lutzs-first-impressions-and-the-complexity-of-representation\/","title":{"rendered":"Reframing Disability through Print: Eliza Lutz’s First Impressions and the Complexity of Representation"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]Written by Soleil Parks, TAG Gallery Assistant<\/p>\n

A kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and figures come together in Eliza Lutz\u2019s installation work<\/span> First Impressions<\/span><\/i>. Their dynamic installation transforms the universal Accessible Parking placards into fluid representations of disability and chronic illness. The work consists of 88 placards placed on the wall in a grid formation that stretches from floor to ceiling. Each one of the placards contains a unique figure, representing a different lived experience. Immediately catching the viewer\u2019s eye are the additions of embroidery threads sewn directly into the cards. These threads may bind bodies to chairs, act as visualizations of jumbled thoughts, or represent the contents spilling out of the tip of a syringe. Other elements are more subtle, like embossments of mobility aids and medical equipment, details that are visible upon closer inspection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Eliza Lutz, First Impressions, 2025, monoprint. Image courtesy of the artist.<\/p><\/div>\n

In their series <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, which was the Best-in-Show award winner in the 2025 <\/span>The Contemporary Print<\/span><\/i><\/a> exhibition at The Art Galleries (TAG) at Austin Community College, Lutz challenges the way we perceive disability, exploring both the personal and societal dimensions of chronic illness. During the Spring 2025 semester, TAG staff conducted an interview with Eliza Lutz, who is a visual artist, musician, and founder of Matron Records from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The featured works are monoprints made through a combination of intaglio printing, embossment, and embroidery. They invite viewers to reconsider their assumptions by presenting disability not as a singular, static experience, but as multifaceted one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lutz chose the title <\/span>First Impressions <\/span><\/i>as a play on words, reflecting both the assumptions people make upon first encountering someone and the physical process of printmaking, where each print is an “impression” of the original matrix. \u201cMonoprinting is central to this work, and its inherent variation mirrors the fluid and varied experiences of disability and chronic illness,\u201d Lutz explains. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEach print in the series is intentionally unique, just as no two experiences of disability are exactly the same.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"

A photo of First Impressions as featured at The Contemporary Print exhibition. Photo Credit: David Allen<\/p><\/div>\n

Part of what makes each print unique is its individually assigned color. Lutz utilizes a wide array of colored inks in their monoprints, using color to \u201cpush back against the sterile, drab, and medicalized aesthetic that most people think of when they think about disability.\u201d Although their work addresses difficult themes, Lutz emphasizes the vibrancy of the disabled identity and community. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[<\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>] is many things at once\u2014I want the work to express joy and resilience just as much as it does grief and personal struggle.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The series also plays with themes of visibility and invisibility. Many disabilities are not immediately apparent, yet perceptions shift dramatically when external markers, like a cane or wheelchair, are present. Lutz explores this dissonance through blind embossment, where the impressions of medical tools and mobility aids remain subtle or even hidden, much like some disabilities. \u201cFrom a distance, these elements remain unnoticed\u2014just as many disabilities are invisible or fluid. Up close, a single print reveals more detail, but in isolation, it may present only a narrow view,\u201d they explain. \u201cStepping back to see the full collection disrupts any singular understanding.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo of Eliza Lutz, taken on their visit to The Art Galleries. Photo Credit: David Allen<\/p><\/div>\n

As a person with a disability, Lutz developed a\u00a0 relationship to the work\u2019s core theme over a span of three years. Whereas <\/span>First Impressions <\/span><\/i>started as a personal and intimate artwork, Lutz describes the current approach as \u201cmore external, collective, and critical.\u201d Each placard holds the weight of research that Lutz has conducted on the lives and experiences of other disabled individuals, serving as a visual manifestation of collected data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the impressively layered meaning of the piece, Lutz uses a range of innovative techniques in <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, and each placard has multiple artmaking methods applied to it. The bodies Lutz represents are printed using the <\/span>intaglio<\/span><\/a> method. Embroidery mingles with the embossed and printed elements, often showing the connection between people with disabilities and the aids they need for daily living. To create the embossed medical supplies in <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, Lutz used a sign-making material called Sinatra.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSinatra is soft enough to carve and cut easily, and go safely through the press, while also being firm enough to hold up to a lot of printing. I cut out individual shapes and carve details into them with regular relief tools. I then emboss my prints by soaking them in water before running them through the press with the trinkets. I am always impressed with how well they hold up to years of use!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo of the Sintra material that Lutz utilizes for blind embossing (left) and a plate used for printing (right). Image courtesy of the artist.<\/p><\/div>\n

When asked about the desired impact on viewers, Lutz responded that they primarily want to connect with other disabled and chronically ill people. \u201cI am very grateful for the conversations that I\u2019ve had with folks in this community about their experiences and reactions to my work, and I\u2019ve also formed some meaningful connections with other disabled printmakers through the project.\u201d For those who haven\u2019t thought about disability in-depth, Lutz trusts that the work will allow them to reflect on their understanding of it, \u201cI hope the piece can increase awareness of the diversity of disability experiences and foster greater solidarity for disability justice and collective care.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

First Impressions<\/span><\/i> was featured in the 2025 The Contemporary Print exhibition at The Art Galleries at ACC (TAG) from January 21 \u2013 March 30th, 2025. This article presents a synthesis of Lutz\u2019s interview, highlighting key themes and insights. To read their full responses, click here<\/a>. You can learn more about Eliza Lutz and their work at matronstudio.com<\/a>.<\/span>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]Written by Soleil Parks, TAG Gallery Assistant A kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and figures come together in Eliza Lutz\u2019s installation work First Impressions. Their dynamic installation transforms the universal Accessible Parking placards into fluid representations of disability and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":2954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Written by Soleil Parks, TAG Gallery Assistant\r\n\r\nA kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and figures come together in Eliza Lutz\u2019s installation work<\/span> First Impressions<\/span><\/i>. Their dynamic installation transforms the universal Accessible Parking placards into fluid representations of disability and chronic illness. The work consists of 88 placards placed on the wall in a grid formation that stretches from floor to ceiling. Each one of the placards contains a unique figure, representing a different lived experience. Immediately catching the viewer\u2019s eye are the additions of embroidery threads sewn directly into the cards. These threads may bind bodies to chairs, act as visualizations of jumbled thoughts, or represent the contents spilling out of the tip of a syringe. Other elements are more subtle, like embossments of mobility aids and medical equipment, details that are visible upon closer inspection.<\/span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2953\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"400\"]\"\" Eliza Lutz, First Impressions, 2025, monoprint. Image courtesy of the artist.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIn their series <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, which was the Best-in-Show award winner in the 2025 <\/span>The Contemporary Print<\/span><\/i><\/a> exhibition at The Art Galleries (TAG) at Austin Community College, Lutz challenges the way we perceive disability, exploring both the personal and societal dimensions of chronic illness. During the Spring 2025 semester, TAG staff conducted an interview with Eliza Lutz, who is a visual artist, musician, and founder of Matron Records from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The featured works are monoprints made through a combination of intaglio printing, embossment, and embroidery. They invite viewers to reconsider their assumptions by presenting disability not as a singular, static experience, but as multifaceted one.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nLutz chose the title <\/span>First Impressions <\/span><\/i>as a play on words, reflecting both the assumptions people make upon first encountering someone and the physical process of printmaking, where each print is an \"impression\" of the original matrix. \u201cMonoprinting is central to this work, and its inherent variation mirrors the fluid and varied experiences of disability and chronic illness,\u201d Lutz explains. <\/span>\r\n

\u201cEach print in the series is intentionally unique, just as no two experiences of disability are exactly the same.\u201d<\/span><\/blockquote>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2955\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"293\"]\"\" A photo of First Impressions as featured at The Contemporary Print exhibition. Photo Credit: David Allen[\/caption]\r\n\r\nPart of what makes each print unique is its individually assigned color. Lutz utilizes a wide array of colored inks in their monoprints, using color to \u201cpush back against the sterile, drab, and medicalized aesthetic that most people think of when they think about disability.\u201d Although their work addresses difficult themes, Lutz emphasizes the vibrancy of the disabled identity and community. <\/span>\r\n
\u201c[<\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>] is many things at once\u2014I want the work to express joy and resilience just as much as it does grief and personal struggle.\u201d<\/span><\/blockquote>\r\nThe series also plays with themes of visibility and invisibility. Many disabilities are not immediately apparent, yet perceptions shift dramatically when external markers, like a cane or wheelchair, are present. Lutz explores this dissonance through blind embossment, where the impressions of medical tools and mobility aids remain subtle or even hidden, much like some disabilities. \u201cFrom a distance, these elements remain unnoticed\u2014just as many disabilities are invisible or fluid. Up close, a single print reveals more detail, but in isolation, it may present only a narrow view,\u201d they explain. \u201cStepping back to see the full collection disrupts any singular understanding.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2954\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"400\"]\"\" Photo of Eliza Lutz, taken on their visit to The Art Galleries. Photo Credit: David Allen[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAs a person with a disability, Lutz developed a\u00a0 relationship to the work\u2019s core theme over a span of three years. Whereas <\/span>First Impressions <\/span><\/i>started as a personal and intimate artwork, Lutz describes the current approach as \u201cmore external, collective, and critical.\u201d Each placard holds the weight of research that Lutz has conducted on the lives and experiences of other disabled individuals, serving as a visual manifestation of collected data.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nBeyond the impressively layered meaning of the piece, Lutz uses a range of innovative techniques in <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, and each placard has multiple artmaking methods applied to it. The bodies Lutz represents are printed using the <\/span>intaglio<\/span><\/a> method. Embroidery mingles with the embossed and printed elements, often showing the connection between people with disabilities and the aids they need for daily living. To create the embossed medical supplies in <\/span>First Impressions<\/span><\/i>, Lutz used a sign-making material called Sinatra.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cSinatra is soft enough to carve and cut easily, and go safely through the press, while also being firm enough to hold up to a lot of printing. I cut out individual shapes and carve details into them with regular relief tools. I then emboss my prints by soaking them in water before running them through the press with the trinkets. I am always impressed with how well they hold up to years of use!\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2956\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"400\"]\"\" Photo of the Sintra material that Lutz utilizes for blind embossing (left) and a plate used for printing (right). Image courtesy of the artist.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nWhen asked about the desired impact on viewers, Lutz responded that they primarily want to connect with other disabled and chronically ill people. \u201cI am very grateful for the conversations that I\u2019ve had with folks in this community about their experiences and reactions to my work, and I\u2019ve also formed some meaningful connections with other disabled printmakers through the project.\u201d For those who haven\u2019t thought about disability in-depth, Lutz trusts that the work will allow them to reflect on their understanding of it, \u201cI hope the piece can increase awareness of the diversity of disability experiences and foster greater solidarity for disability justice and collective care.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nFirst Impressions<\/span><\/i> was featured in the 2025 The Contemporary Print exhibition at The Art Galleries at ACC (TAG) from January 21 \u2013 March 30th, 2025. This article presents a synthesis of Lutz\u2019s interview, highlighting key themes and insights. To read their full responses, click here<\/a>. You can learn more about Eliza Lutz and their work at matronstudio.com<\/a>.<\/span>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/04\/DAP_3047-1-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2952\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admc.austincc.edu\/tag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}