De’VIA Manifesto

The De’VIA Manifesto, written in 1989, refers to the genre, aesthetics, and theory of art created by the Deaf. It also makes a distinction between Deaf art and art created by someone who is Deaf. More than a quarter of a century later, how has art in the Deaf community been redefined, and what are its future challenges? To understand these questions, it is necessary to consider the history of De’VIA.

In 1989, nine Deaf artists gathered for a 4-day workshop to discuss how to define the works of Deaf artists. Painter Betty G. Miller and sculptor Paul Johnson led this volunteer group of fine artists, which also included art historian Deborah M. Sonnenstrahl, painters Chuck Baird and Alex Wilhite, sculptor Guy Wonder, fiber artists Nancy Creighton and Sandi Inches Vasnick, and video artist Lai-Yok Ho.

At the end of this workshop, participants released the De’VIA Manifesto to all participants of Deaf Way I, an international convention on Deaf culture at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The name De’VIA was an acronym for the ASL representation of Deaf View/Image Art. Because the manifesto was written within a short amount of time and without the aid of the Internet, this working group did not have the resources to survey a wide cross-section of work from Deaf artists. Therefore, participants submitted their own work for analysis. In addition, there was little time to define and discuss terminology, including the concepts of Deaf experience, fine art, applied art, and design.

For assessment purposes, this entry analyzes each original paragraph of the manifesto. The first paragraph states:

[Page 301]Here, “formal art elements” are a reference to the fine arts, which include painting, drawing, and sculpture, and appeal to one’s intellect or aesthetic preference. This emphasis was a direct result of the composition of the nine volunteers—all fine artists—who participated in the manifesto’s creation. When the phrase “Deaf experiences” appears in the manifesto’s first paragraph, there is no definition of its meaning. If analyzed on a cultural level, however, the Deaf experience often mirrors that of other minority groups. Common themes of affirmation and resistance art dominate. But the “Deaf experience” differs from that of minority ethnic or religious groups in a fundamental way: The physical inability to hear presents challenges and struggles that are unique.

So the question becomes, how can art respond to the physicality of deafness? This mission falls under the purview of applied art, which combines design and aesthetics to produce objects for functional use. Professionals who use artistic principles to problem solve create art, technology, products, and services that enhance the lives of those in the Deaf community. Professions include graphic designers, industrial engineers, fashion designers, software designers, entertainment producers, and architects.

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