Al Young’s bright and bold paintings are all about dancing. He dances while he paints, feeding his energy and movement into the artworks he creates.

Painting and dance music have been important aspects of Young’s life since his teenage years, and in this exhibition the two collide in vibrant colour and bold lines.

Inspired by an article called “Dance While Everyone is Watching” by disability advocate Stella Young, this body of work responds to her notion that every individual has a right to enjoy dancing publicly. In this article, Stella Young identifies unhelpful notions around disability and the assumptions and judgments that people can make about people who live with a disability.

Young’s vibrant artworks refuse to go quietly unnoticed. They celebrate movement in an example of how people living with a disability should not be defined by their disability in an exhibition that will bring a smile to your face, hope to your heart, and an irresistible tap to your feet.

Bring your dancing shoes!

Image: Al Young, In The Music (detail), 2016, acrylic and oilstick on canvas, 92x92cm