Bold Beauty Project (est. 2015). An innovative visual arts initiative founded and directed by Dr. Eva Ritvo (b. 1963), alongside disability activist Shelly Baer. Website: www.boldbeautyproject.com.
Established in 2015, the Bold Beauty Project pairs women with disabilities with award-winning photographers to create transformative art exhibitions, challenging narrow standards of beauty while foregrounding voices and stories traditionally excluded from mainstream representation. Through its dynamic portraits and personal narratives, the project advocates for diversity, inclusion, and community empowerment by redefining beauty as intersectional and rooted in lived experience.
Origins and Mission
The Bold Beauty Project originated from earlier efforts to document and celebrate disabled women’s inner and outer beauty, first surfacing as “Uncensored Life: Raw Beauty” in 2006. With Dr. Eva Ritvo joining as co-director in 2015, the initiative was transformed to build communities of “bold beauties” who use artistic self-representation to inspire confidence, connection, and activism among their peers worldwide. The project’s mission harnesses art at the intersection of disability and beauty to promote social change, offering local replications of its exhibitions in cities across the globe.
Exhibitions and Social Impact
Exhibitions of the Bold Beauty Project have been staged at leading galleries, major universities, and influential conferences, including the Anacostia Gallery in Washington D.C., the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) annual event, Art Palm Beach, and Yale University.
Each exhibition features large-scale portraits accompanied by written and audio narratives, inviting viewers into the lived realities and aspirations of disabled women participants. Local models, photographers, and community partners collaborate to make each event contextually grounded and authentically representative.
The project emphasizes digital engagement, fostering “global communities” via social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. This digital presence helps connect models, artists, and admirers, amplifying stories often marginalized within conventional media and offering new role models for beauty and resilience. Notably, the project’s replication packages enable cities and organizations to host their own exhibitions, making its message scalable and inclusive.
Leadership and Advocacy
Eva Ritvo, M.D. is a prominent psychiatrist, author, and advocate for mental wellness, kindness, and empowerment. Her professional journey spans clinical practice, university appointments, and media contributions, consistently centering holistic beauty and self-esteem.
As director, Ritvo champions nonjudgmental, community-oriented approaches, with a deep commitment to leveraging art for healing and self-expression. The project’s founding values—acceptance, visibility, and transformation—continue to resonate as new exhibitions adapt to local participants and cultures.
Artistic Collaborations
The Bold Beauty Project works closely with photographers who are encouraged to approach portraiture as a collaborative and empowering process. Through these partnerships, the project offers disabled women visibility and agency in crafting their artistic image, which in turn challenges viewers to reconsider narrow ideals of attractiveness and value.
Representation and Inclusivity
While the core focus is women with disabilities, the Bold Beauty Project seeks to reflect broader social realities by encouraging diverse participation, including individuals with LGBTQ+ identities wherever possible. Its exhibitions embrace non-gendered, inclusive language and narrative forms, aligning with contemporary best practices in advocacy and cultural representation.
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