Alison Lapper
Encyclopedia
Alison Lapper MBE
(born 7 April 1965 in Burton upon Trent
, Staffordshire
) is an English
artist
who was born without arms. She is the subject of the sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant, which was on display in Trafalgar Square
until late 2007
, phocomelia
, which caused her to be born without arms and with truncated legs. Her mother met her for the last time during her childhood when she was four months old, although a reconciliation was attempted later in Lapper's life. She was institutionalized from her childhood, and is still distant from her relatives.
When she was fitted with artificial limbs, she experienced them only as an attempt to make her look less disconcerting instead of actually helping her. So she abandoned them and learned to live without external aids.
At the age of 19, Lapper left Chailey Heritage
School and moved to London
. She acquired a driving license and a flat. Lapper studied in The Faculty of Arts and Architecture at the University of Brighton
and graduated with a first class honours degree in Fine Art
in 1994.
, digital imaging
and painting
to, as she says, question physical normality and beauty, using herself as a subject. She paints with her mouth. One particular influence is the sculpture Venus de Milo
, due to the physical similarities between the idealized classical female statue and Lapper's own body. She has taken part in various British exhibitions, including in the Royal Festival Hall
. She is a member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World
(AMFPA). In May 2003, Lapper was awarded an MBE
for her services for art.
After she had given birth to her son Parys in 1999, who was born fully formed, she created an installation of photographs of herself with him. Lapper and her son have featured on the yearly BBC television documentary Child of Our Time
.
for the sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant. Made of Carrara
marble, it shows Lapper nude and heavily pregnant. It occupied the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square
between September 2005 and late 2007.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 7 April 1965 in Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who was born without arms. She is the subject of the sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant, which was on display in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
until late 2007
Early life
Alison Lapper has a congenital disorderCongenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
, phocomelia
Phocomelia
Phocomelia is an extremely rare congenital disorder involving the limbs . Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire coined the term in 1836....
, which caused her to be born without arms and with truncated legs. Her mother met her for the last time during her childhood when she was four months old, although a reconciliation was attempted later in Lapper's life. She was institutionalized from her childhood, and is still distant from her relatives.
When she was fitted with artificial limbs, she experienced them only as an attempt to make her look less disconcerting instead of actually helping her. So she abandoned them and learned to live without external aids.
At the age of 19, Lapper left Chailey Heritage
Chailey Heritage
The Chailey Heritage was founded out of the Guild of the Poor Brave Things in 1903 by Dame Grace Kimmins.Today the heritage is renowned for orthopaedic care, and the Chailey Heritage School...
School and moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She acquired a driving license and a flat. Lapper studied in The Faculty of Arts and Architecture at the University of Brighton
University of Brighton
The University of Brighton is an English university of the United Kingdom, with a community of over 23,000 students and 2,600 staff based on campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. It has one of the best teaching quality ratings in the UK and a strong research record, factors which...
and graduated with a first class honours degree in Fine Art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
in 1994.
Artistic career
Lapper uses photographyPhotography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, digital imaging
Digital imaging
Digital imaging or digital image acquisition is the creation of digital images, typically from a physical scene. The term is often assumed to imply or include the processing, compression, storage, printing, and display of such images...
and painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
to, as she says, question physical normality and beauty, using herself as a subject. She paints with her mouth. One particular influence is the sculpture Venus de Milo
Venus de Milo
Aphrodite of Milos , better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created at some time between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is a marble sculpture, slightly...
, due to the physical similarities between the idealized classical female statue and Lapper's own body. She has taken part in various British exhibitions, including in the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
. She is a member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World
Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World
The Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World was founded as the Vereinigung der Mund- und Fussmalenden Künstler in aller Welt, e. V. , in Liechtenstein in 1956...
(AMFPA). In May 2003, Lapper was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for her services for art.
After she had given birth to her son Parys in 1999, who was born fully formed, she created an installation of photographs of herself with him. Lapper and her son have featured on the yearly BBC television documentary Child of Our Time
Child of Our Time
Child of Our Time is a documentary commissioned by the BBC co-produced with The Open University and presented by Professor The Lord Winston which follows up on the lives of 25 babies who were born around the turn of the year 2000 as they grow from infancy, through childhood and on to becoming young...
.
Marc Quinn sculpture
She posed for Marc QuinnMarc Quinn
Marc Quinn is a British artist and part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs . He is known for Alison Lapper Pregnant , Self , and Garden .He is one of the Young British...
for the sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant. Made of Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
marble, it shows Lapper nude and heavily pregnant. It occupied the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
between September 2005 and late 2007.
Further reading
- Alison Lapper and Guy Feldman – My Life in My Hands (2005) ISBN 0-7432-7558-6
External links
- AlisonLapper.com Official web site
- Alison Lapper talks about her life and work Video at the Equality and Human Rights Commission
- Mouth & Foot Painting Artists showing Lappers work