Wellbeing is shaped not only by health and care, but by the freedom to move through the world with dignity. Filling in the Gaps, a solo exhibition by artist Michelle Baharier, explores this idea through portraiture, placing the lived experiences of disabled people and the long fight for accessible public transport at the centre of the conversation. The exhibition is presented at Art Space, Marylebone Parish Church in London from 4-26 March 2026, bringing together art, activism, and social history in a setting long associated with reflection, community, and care. Portraits Shaped by Story and Symbol Commissioned by London Transport Museum the art project comprises ten newly painted portraits created in close collaboration with transport accessibility activists. These are individuals whose voices and actions have shaped the movement for inclusive public transport in the UK, often through decades of sustained campaigning. Michelle Baharier believes that art can be a powerful tool for wellbeing when it allows people to feel seen, heard, and understood. Her portraits are developed through conversation and trust. Each sitter’s story is woven into the composition using symbolic visual elements that speak to both personal identity and public action. Transport iconography, including references to the TfL roundel, sits alongside intimate details, such as the carefully rendered fan held by Sharon in her portrait. These details anchor each painting in lived experience, allowing activism and individuality to coexist on the canvas. Rather than presenting campaigners as abstract figures in history, the portraits invite viewers to encounter them as…
