AN EXHIBITION aims to build on the Paralympics legacy by displaying hundreds of unique artworks exploring life and disability in the 21st century.

They will be showcased at London’s Southbank, Bankside Gallery from September 10-15, with postcards, poems, photographs, digital art, paintings and even knitted postcards on display. Some have been contributed by disabled people as far as away as Baltimore in the United States.

The Edges exhibition has been organised by the national disability charity United Response.

Su Sayer CBE, United Response’s founder and chief executive, said: “The exhibition is a real explosion of creative energy, offering a kaleidoscope of different experiences. Some postcards are very moving, some are funny
and others are simply beautiful, but the overall experience is eye opening and inspiring."

The winner of BBC Three's 2008 Britain's missing top model competition Kelly Knox, 29 who was born without the lower part of her left arm has had to overcome many obstacles as a model including mixed reactions within the modelling industry because of her disability. She took the opportunity to be a part of The Edges exhibition and chose to express herself and the challenges she faces in a postcard. 

"I wanted to push my message out there further, inspire other people affected by disability to create their own postcard and get their stories, thoughts and feelings heard, too," she said.

Along side Kelly Knox other celebrities including Paralympians Hannah Cockroft and Dame Sarah Storey, Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson and many more got involved.

Postcards have come from a huge mixture of people including older people with mental health needs, the mothers of children with autism, hearing impaired artists and many more people with unique and moving stories. United Response hopes the project will challenge stereotypes and prejudice by exploring the everyday lives of disabled people written in their own words.

After debuting in London, The Edge exhibition will be touring Newcastle, Liverpool and Bristol. The exhibition still has space for more postcards to be featured in the upcoming exhibitions. Postcards can be created on the website or submitted via post. For more information about postcards or to learn more about the exhibition and United Response, please visit www.postcardsfromtheedges.org.uk