In a museum or gallery every element is designed and considered, from signage to gallery text to exhibition layout. Museums and galleries are spaces of visual exploration. However, when it comes to accessibility, wheelchairs are not currently considered part of the museum and gallery exhibit. They are necessary tools for many museum and gallery visitors and yet are often left as blank canvases, featuring clunky black exteriors and large logos of manufacturers.
In this project, artists Ray Lapinski and David Gerbstadt partnered to embellish wheelchairs and other mobility aids for use in museum and gallery visits and walking tours. David and Ray each painted mobility aids using a combination of leather, spray, and acrylic paints to create unique works of art that celebrate life and diversity in some way. These mobility aids were donated to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens in October 2025 to add to the overall experience of visitors.
Adorning Movement was funded by the Velocity Fund, a regional regranting program of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
Ray Lapinski
Ray Lapinski is an artist, organizer, and writer originally from Berks County, PA now living in Philadelphia for the past six years. Lapinski earned their bachelor’s degree in advertising from Temple University with a concentration in art direction, and their master’s degree in socially engaged art from Moore College of Art and Design. Their master’s thesis research centered around art and disability.
Driven by a desire to expand the conversation around art and disability, Lapinski is personally interested in accessibility to the arts. As a disabled queer individual with years of advocacy and lived experience, the inclusion of all individuals in the arts regardless of income, race, religion, or ability level is Ray’s passion.
Follow Ray: @SkullduggeryStudio
David Gerbstadt
David Gerbstadt has been creating art from found materials since he was a child, and his art has reached all corners of the globe. He lives in Berwyn, PA with his three dogs (plus an occasional foster dog) and two cats.
After earning a degree in art from Millersville University, David decided to leave his paintings and drawings in public spaces for the taking. He left art at street corners in Berwyn as well as in New York City, San Francisco, Mexico, Austria, and Poland. In all he has gifted over 5,000 works, ranging in size from three inches wide to seven feet tall. In 2000, the award-winning documentary film David Was Here was produced, celebrating David’s commitment to sharing his art with the public.
Besides his legacy of public art, David’s work has also been featured at galleries across the US and in Europe and is owned by private collectors in over ten countries. On the Main Line, David is best known for his colorful yard signs, sharing messages of kindness and love.
Follow David: @DavidGerbstadtArt
