While We Are Here

Through a tapestry of letters, journals, and artworks, Chicago-based artist and filmmaker Reveca Torres engages in dialogue with celebrated painters Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri Matisse. Bridging time and space, she intertwines the lives and works of the venerated masters with those of contemporary artists, including notable Chicagoans Matt Bodett, Maggie Bridger, and Genevieve Ramos, beautifully expanding notions of disability.

Filming from a uniquely intimate point of view, Torres attaches the camera to her wheelchair through mounts, expressing herself through tracking shots, 360 degree pivots, and distinctive framing. Along with a range of iconic images, from Van Gogh’s sunflowers to Kahlo’s famous corsets, Torres connects her predecessors’ work with her own life, creating a deeply thoughtful reflection on the relationship between creative expression and the complexity of life with disability.