Aesthetic In-Access: Notes from the CripTech Metaverse Lab

Metaverse technologies, such as spatial audio, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), present new possibilities for disabled artists. To explore how artists use metaverse technologies—as well as the frictions that inhibit access—the authors describe the events of CripTech Metaverse Lab, which invited a cohort of disabled artists to a three-day workshop featuring metaverse experiences and a speculative design lab. Observing how participants creatively navigated these encounters, the authors introduce “aesthetic in-access” as a shared praxis developed by disabled users that transforms barriers to access into artistic expression. In doing so, the authors outline a metaverse future that centers disabled people’s expression and joy.