For the second year, the Dedalus Foundation is delighted to host Detour, the 17th exhibition presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the VSA Emerging Young Artists Program, a Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program. The result of a longtime collaboration with Volkswagen Group of America, this national art competition and exhibition gives fifteen artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, the opportunity to display their work in venues across the country where each artist’s individual talent, mode of expression, and view of the world is showcased and valued. With this traveling exhibition, we aim to give visibility to the work of artists with disabilities throughout the United States, positioning them to broaden our understanding of disability and the arts.

The theme of this exhibition was inspired by the notion that a detour, the destination remains the same but the journey to reach it can be full of wonder and discovery. These artists have embraced life’s detours, and their works take us on surprising forays off the beaten path. The artwork seen here explores themes of material transformation, storytelling, and identity. Whether navigating the twists and turns of an inner landscape, or expanding upon quiet moments of pause and reflection found in everyday life, these artists make visible what is often overlooked, and delve into the unexplored.