Students of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf won first place in nine different categories of a national art contest for school-aged youth who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Twenty students from MSAD placed first, second or third or received an honorable mention for their submissions in the 2023-2024 Youth De’VIA Competition.
De’VIA stands for Deaf View/Image Art, which is meant to authentically represent the Deaf experience through visual mediums. The Youth De’VIA Competition is an annual contest hosted by the Kansas School for the Deaf and the Museum of Deaf History, Arts and Culture.
Students can submit up to three artworks and there are four categories: 2D, 3D, photography and computer-generated. There were 948 submissions this year.
Each category is split into seven divisions, separated by grade level: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12. This year saw the addition of two more divisions, Deaf-plus K-5 and Deaf-plus 6-12, which are for students with one or more learning disabilities.
The students’ artwork must somehow incorporate “one or more aspects of the Deaf experience, language, culture or history in their submissions.” Many of the artworks feature a hand or two signing the word the piece is named after.
The MSAD students who received first place are Jordan Beck, Javeson Johnson, Ariel Johnson, Marissa Ellis, Chanel Valencia, Maresa Starr, Miranda Forsythe and Jordan Perez.
Beck won first place in the 2D and photography categories.
One of the senior’s works, titled “Deaf Applause,” shows an abstract visual of cheering in the Deaf community.
“Cheering our hands in the air, Deaf people can see the applause,” she said.
“This shows hearing people how to support Deaf and how to cheer for them when in a big group,” Beck continued. “Cheering this way will make Deaf people feel inspired, so this shows hearing people can cheer for us when they are around us.”
Beck's other first-prize-winning work, “Inspired as a Deaf person,” is about her experience at MSAD, and how it compared to hearing school. It’s a greyscale photo of herself signing the word “inspiration” with a spotlight shining down onto her from above.
“This shows how I feel proud as a Deaf person, as I grew up isolated at a public school and then I transferred to MSAD and I was inspired to be part of the Deaf community,” she said. “I was able to socialize, feel the same, experience similarly and be with other Deaf friends.”
Both of Beck’s works represent a moment she felt a sense of belonging.
“I transferred to the Deaf school and felt different, and realized that my friends and audience use cheering that is easily recognized,” she said. “This feels very inspired by the community and culture, and I felt it. This helped me learn how to be proud of myself and my Deaf identity. As I connected with Deaf community, this has sparked inspiration.”
Sixth grader Ariel Johnson said her artwork, “Seasoned Love,” expresses the idea being deaf is not something to feel sorry about, rather to celebrate.
“I was on the internet interacting with a coding community,” she said. “I told the person I was talking with that I am deaf. The person said, ‘I feel so bad you are deaf.’ I told them, ‘No, I love being deaf.’ My artwork shows how much I love being deaf. And my experience as a Deaf person is positive, and it is not a bad thing to be deaf.”
When asked about the significance of De’VIA art to her, she said:
“Because this helps hearing people to see that Deaf is not a bad thing. De’VIA shows Deaf pride and experience. We are just like hearing people, and we are equal. Also, that we can do anything, and this art helps people in general realize how we are like.”
Beck’s response was similar.
“De’VIA is important to me because it enables me to express my understanding of Deaf culture, my personal experiences and my pride in being deaf through art,” she said. “De’VIA supports my artistic expression of my identity, experience and culture.”
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