To touch, feel and experience...

Museums world over are slowly understanding the need to make art accessible to the visually impaired.

Recently, a friend shared a WhatsApp video about artist Chintamani Hasabnis and his initiative, which promotes art for the visually challenged. It reiterated an often forgotten, yet vital issue, which should ideally be part of any discourse, whenever art projects and spaces are created. In the video, the visually impaired are not only able to ‘see’ the paintings, but they also act as ambassadors to promote the limited edition copies of the paintings to generate an additional revenue stream. This is a much-needed reminder of the disparity that exists between the sighted and those who are visually impaired when experiencing visual arts.

In the last few years, art museums, fairs and festivals have taken note of this inequity and have initiated efforts to make art accessible to the visually impaired. Through tactile replicas of paintings, artworks can be felt and seen by the blind and those with impaired vision. In general, access for disabled persons is usually limited to ramps and wheelchair facilities, but it is important to widen the scope of conversation and ensure inclusivity.

Tactile experiences

The Pune International Airport was purportedly one of the first airports in India to publicly display art that could be ‘seen’ by the visually impaired. These were created as tactile paintings with Braille scripts added to it and artist Hasabnis was actively involved in this project. The National Museum, New Delhi, features a gallery, Anubhav, which offers a tactile experience — enhanced access for its visitors with disabilities. According to its website, it has on display 22 tactile replicas of museum objects, carefully selected by the curators, from the vast collection of the National Museum, representing 5,000 years of Indian art. One remembers seeing small replicas of 3D artworks at past editions of the India Art Fair in New Delhi, which encouraged visitors to touch, feel and experience the art.

Across the world, museums are adopting technology and sensitivity to create inclusive spaces. In museums, audio and Braille guides are commonly used features and the emphasis now is augmenting these with initiatives that are tactile-based. For instance, the Touch Gallery at the Musée du Louvre is a specially designed space for visitors with disabilities, encouraging them to touch the casts and learn about sculptural forms through textures, materials, contours, and volume. The Prado Museum in Madrid too encourages touch by creating detailed 3D replicas of significant works, which the visually impaired can read by translating the material sensations into a mental image. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is another museum with several tactile versions of paintings and sculptures.

Just as Braille books revolutionised and made information accessible, there is a concerted need to consciously create inclusive models that bridge the gap and offer access to the visual arts. The objective has to be to create sound solutions through holistic design and inclusive approaches.

The author is a Bangalore-based art consultant, curator and writer. She blogs at Art Scene India and can be reached on [e-mail]

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