Access Archives Cloaks


Screen printed textile panels, individually tailored, with text, ink and brushstrokes

By Alfie Fox and Blueberry Academy (June 2024).

Alfie Fox is an established, award-winning multimedia artist who works with Pyramid in Leeds. Alfie was born with cerebral palsy and CVI (Cerebral Visual Impairment). Alfie worked local disabled people from Blueberry Academy to create an exhibition of access cloaks
inspired by collections in Explore York Archives. The screen printed textile panels, reflect on histories of disabled people in the York Union Workhouse during Victorian times and current experiences of accessibility for disabled people and their families. Alfie led a team of artists who supported him during the workshop including Stephen Lee Hodgkins, Louis Wong, James Hill and Julie Shackleton from Pyramid Arts.

Location – The exhibition space in the café area of York Explore.

Description – The artwork is made of a five screen printed fabric panels. Each panels includes images of the workhouse and words relating to thoughts about access and disability. The panels are approximately 70cm by 170cm and decorated individually with paint, illustrations, doodles and letterpress text prints. This includes a rainbow, a smile, a no entry sign and other things relating to disability and access.