Upon receiving the pitch about “Handrails of Seattle” by Bob Hayman for our Disability Activism story series, it dawned on us that while accessibility sometimes gets unfairly boiled down to curb ramps and captions, these more foundational elements are not just useful, but sometimes elegant, too. Bob’s reflections remind us that while handrails are there for function, some of them are also quite special. ET Russian, a local graphic novelist and disability awareness activist, might tell you that ramps are no different. Looking at ET Russian’s series, “Ramps of Distinction”, a set of fifteen risograph prints depicting real and fictitious ramps, it’s obvious that beauty and function dovetail to create comfortable experiences that also delight.

Artist Statement

#RAMPSOFDISTINCTION (2021)

“I created the hashtag #RAMPSOFDISTINCTION to highlight wheelchair ramps that are not just functional, but beautiful or interesting in some way. The ramps don’t have to be fancy, but something that someone took care with. I made this series of risograph prints I created is of ramps I’ve seen, as well as ramps I imagine. I collected these prints into a comic book. This project was featured in the 2021 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial and the 2022 Seattle Architecture show Junction. This series is now on permanent exhibition in the Washington State Convention Center.”

-ET Russian

While these pieces are not on display in a publicly accessible area, the Seattle Convention Center offers monthly art tours of the Arch and Summit buildings. To learn more and reserve a spot at an upcoming tour visit: https://seattleconventioncenter.com/tours