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Art
for the Blind
Good evening my friends. Well as you may know by the poem I wrote today, my
masterpiece arrived.
There is a photograph on here.
It came in a large box, with loads of very expensive looking bubble
wrap and paper. It was packaged as though the finest art gallery, perhaps
from Albemarle street in London had sent it to me! Very well wrapped, as
though the Queens jewels were among the packaging and the Queens jewels
would not have been as happily accepted by me as what was in the box! My
friend Gabriel, sent me his work of art. For my friends who cannot see, I cannot
believe how easy it was to feel what the picture is. I searched the
internet and cannot find anything like this. I hope to encourage my friend
to do more as coming up to Christmas, I wondered if he could perhaps sell
some for presents for blind family members and friends? Eye hospitals,
homes for the elderly, where perhaps there are people with sight loss and
hotels for the blind, could be a plethora of perhaps perfect pictures.
I for sure will buy from him.
If you are not convinced, think of your life without colour. Your
house where you can’t see what is on your walls? The article I have posted
below, will I hope give an insight into what it is like for blind people
who like you, wish to see art.
My first picture I have ever been able to see, as when I had some
sight, I could never see a picture/painting. Now I can!
by Kathleen Lang
When entering an art museum the sighted population often takes for
granted the ability to examine, admire, or even be shocked by the abundant
variety of visual images that we encounter. But what about the blind or
visually impaired; are they forever excluded from experiencing art because
of their inability to see?
Museums have come a long way to accommodate the disabled. Wheelchair
access This afternoon my wonderful parcel arrived. A box so has improved
and many museums offer signing tours for the deaf. But the blind population
cannot see, and therefore must rely upon their other senses, such as touch,
to experience the world around them.
Touching works of arts however, is strictly prohibited at museums.
Move in closer to any painting or sculpture to take a closer look and you
will instantly arouse the attention of the gallery attendant, who will
request that you move away and do not touch it.
This "no touch" policy is certainly understandable and
necessary to preserve the art for generations to come. What then, is the
solution to the blind population's visual dilemma? How can they too,
experience the visual arts?
Museum Programs for the Blind or Visually Impaired
Services for the blind or visually impaired visitors are extremely
limited at most museums. Some museums provide special verbal descriptive
tours or offer assisted listening devices for the visually impaired, but
touching works of art is not part of these programs.
The exception is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Through "Programs
for Visitors with Disabilities," the museum is committed to making
their programs accessible to all visitors, regardless of physical
limitations. In addition to using Braille labels, large-print booklets, and
verbal imaging tours, there is a collection of objects that can be touched.
Also provides programs for the blind and visually impaired. Similar to
the Met, MoMA offers large-print and Braille descriptive booklets and a
touch tour of selected works of art. The museum also offers art courses,
for both children and adults that enable the blind to learn more about art
through hands-on activities and tactile diagrams. According to the museum
this is the first program of its kind offered at any institution.
Art Education for the Blind
The traditional approach to art history courses has been to use a
combination of lectures and slides in order to explain works of art to
students. During a single semester, students will usually see hundreds of
slides that explore many details of painting, sculpture, or architecture.
Slides however, are useless to the blind. In order for the blind and
visually impaired to learn about art, an entirely new teaching model needed
to be created.
Art Education for the Blind, Inc. is a non-profit organization
founded by Elisabeth Salzhauer Axel in 1987. AEB is committed to making the
visual arts accessible to the blind and visually impaired population by
producing educational programs that utilize multi-sensory methods such as
touch and sound.
How the AEB Program Works
It has taken nine years of research, developing and testing for a
team of art educators and developmental psychologists to create an art
history-training program for the blind and visually impaired. The program
uses tactile diagrams, in-depth narratives, and atmospheric sound
compositions to explain many examples of art works; both painting and
sculpture are included in the series.
Some works of art are especially complex and therefore these
examples must incorporate several different types of raised patterns in
order to fully describe compositional and stylistic details.
Contents of the AEB Series
The planned 22-volume series will cover a wide range of art:
prehistoric to contemporary. The examples include painting, sculpture,
architecture, mosaic, manuscript illumination, and textiles.
In September 1999, three of the first volumes of "Art History
Through Touch and Sound" were released: "Building Blocks of
Art," "European Modernism: 1900-1940" and "The Art of
Ancient Egypt."
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect to this program is how sound is
used to express visual concepts such as perspective, space, and emotion.
Sound artist Lou Gisante has created sensitive compositions to convey these
challenging concepts to blind and visually impaired individuals.
A similar project in Birmingham, England called "Sound and
Touch" has collaborated with "Art History Through Touch and
Sound" by donating their original recordings made to explain the space
and environment of selected English cathedrals.
For More Information
This series is available to anyone who wishes to purchase it. The
AEB is working closely with organizations such as The National Federation
for the Blind, the American Council for the Blind, and several museums in
order to make the program available to a wider audience.
If you are interested in making art more available to the blind and
visually impaired, urge your local museum to acquire this extremely
worthwhile series. Only then will the visual arts truly be accessible to
everyone, regardless of their ability to see.
To receive more information or to donate to the AEB, please contact:
ART EDUCATION FOR THE BLIND, INC.
160 Mercer Street
New York, NY 10012
Tel: (212) 334-3700
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