Artist Statement
“IN THE HOOD”
Toronto-based illustrator Alessio Convito was born Deaf. His illustrated series cover two key
moments in Deaf history, after a utopia and before an illusion. It starts with Martha’s
Vineyard, an island where communication equality is paramount, following a context where
it is supposed to be the Dark Ages for the Deaf community: the ban on sign language. The
third is a hope where sign language was successfully advocated and educated. The series
ends with a self-question and a wish: that sign language will be universal.
In everyday life, deafness is pretty invisible to most people, therefore there are not enough
clues about what Deaf folks have been through and what has occurred. Alessio purposely
reveals through his art the events that directly affected and changed Deaf individuals’ lives.
The four illustrations are painted with acrylic and a variation of brushstrokes to depict
different vibrations and are inspired by tarot, which is one of the practices Alessio finds
fascinating.