Lumpy Bed: A prototype towards holding bodies

Lumpy Bed is an accessible crip-lounge installation built for the Bay Area Now 9 Triennial . This vibrant chartreuse sculptural landscape, composed of soft, undulating mounds invites communal rest. Carved upholstery foam covered in non-toxic rubber paint is squishy, like a stress-ball for your body – prioritizing the comfort and support of disabled bodies in public spaces. The 8-foot circular bed encourages rest and relaxation, challenging institutional furniture and somatic norms while promoting inclusivity. Through rest performances and physical repairs, the artist engages with the complexities of support and repair, reflecting on the ongoing need for adaptive care of both works of art and the disabled body. Lumpy Bed serves as a prototype towards accessible design and inclusive rest, challenging the norms of our built environment that often does not consider or meet the needs of the disabled body.