Gallery Walk: The Pandemic Cancelled It, and They Never Brought It Back

By Charlene N. Rivera-Bonet | Waisman Science Writer

It can be said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is true in an upcoming exhibit and self-guided gallery walk at the Waisman Center that features photos taken by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that chronicle their lived experiences of the COVID‑19 pandemic. The photos are a powerful visual narrative of how their lives were affected by the pandemic, including home, work, community, and health. The gallery walk goes from Monday, April 6 through Thursday, April 30, 2026 and will be accessible during regular business hours in the John D. Wiley Conference Center hallway at the Waisman Center on the second floor, north tower.

Man in red sweater playing a keyboard at a table — Book Caption: I started playing piano during the pandemic – I needed new activities. I still play piano. I play Disney songs.

The collection of photos is part of The Pandemic Cancelled It, and They Never Brought It Back: Stories of Loss, Change, and Hope, a book that presents the daily lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the pandemic using their own photographs and words to reveal moments of loss, adaptation, resilience, and connection.

The project is led by Waisman investigator Karla Ausderau, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, and Jennifer Capelle, OTD, and

Man in a winter coat standing next to a book display — Book Caption: I was part of a book club at Barnes & Noble for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that met weekly. It was something I did for about 5 years every week and we stopped doing it when the pandemic started. It never started back up. I’m standing in the space where the book club met. I miss the people. The pandemic canceled it, and they never brought it back.

was born from a study that looked at the impact of COVID-19 in the daily lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the state of Wisconsin, and the need to share all of their stories more widely. The stories are presented using photovoice, a research method that allows participants to answer research questions using photos, rather than words, to represent their experiences, ideas, and community.

The gallery walk will give visitors a glimpse of the book, and provide a better understanding of the complexity of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted people with disabilities and the duality of their experience, finding silver linings even through a challenging experience.

The event is free with no registration needed. For more information about the book, click here.