Artist creates disabled Disney princesses to highlight social exclusion
AN Italian artist has challenged the idea of the 'perfect women' by re-imaging classic Disney characters.
Alexsandro Palombo tackles the issues of social exclusion with a series of images of popular princesses with varying disabilities.
In his depictions Snow White and Cinderella are wheelchair-bound, Pocahontas walks with crutches, and Jasmin has both arms missing.
He had the idea to promote the message that 'beauty comes in all forms' after cancer left him partially paralysed.
"Every day I have to deal with all forms of discrimination," he said. "Through this series I wanted to give visibility to this problem of strong discrimination directed to the persons with disabilities who live in our society."
The new portrayals of the unachievably beautiful Disney princesses really hits home and serves as a sobering reminder of social discrimination towards people with disabilities.
Alexsandro hopes the images will reinforce the message that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and help broaden people's ideas of what's attractive.
The images also bring up some interesting questions, and in one of Alexsandro's illustrations all the princesses are pictured together with a banner reading: 'Do you still like us?'
While his drawings have been criticised by some, for leaving out things like facial deformities, it is a positive step towards challenging discrimination.
And Alexsandro hopes the illustrations will help boast disabled girls' self esteem and breakdown society's beauty stereotypes.