Please Touch The Art: A Preview of Our Upcoming Sensory Exhibit

Sensations: An Art Experience You Can Feel

A Different Way of Seeing Art

Many of us are familiar with the signs at art galleries and museums saying "Please don’t touch the art." While this instruction may be necessary to preserve exhibits, it deprives those with visual impairments of the opportunity to fully enjoy and experience the art. At most, they can only read a description of it, which is a limited substitute. There is a lack of art that takes into account the perspective of those with visual impairments and how different perspectives can be part of the art itself.

On the other hand, as individuals with full vision, we rely heavily on our eyes to guide and shape our ideas and perceptions. But what about our other senses? Each of them contributes to our overall experience, forming an integral part of sensory integration or processing. Sensory integration refers to the brain's ability to recognize and respond to the information provided by our senses, encompassing sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing, as well as our perception of our body in space. Each of our fingertips alone contain 3,000 nerve endings, sending signals to the brain and making our sense of touch a powerful source of information.

Thus, our upcoming multisensory exhibit, Sensations 3D Art Experience, seeks to address the following questions: first, how can we make art more accessible to people with visual impairments, and second, how can we tap into our other sensations beyond sight to create a more meaningful experience?

In partnership with the Voices for Hope Foundation, the New Art Foundation of Vancouver (NAFVan) is excited to bring an innovative exhibition to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region, that highlights new ways of accessing our world by presenting classic and contemporary artworks in a way that appeals to a multitude of our senses.

Voices For Hope Foundation and Art as a Vehicle for Social Change

Art has always been a powerful tool for social change, and our sensory exhibit is no exception. By using sensory design to create an exhibit that is open to all regardless of visual ability, we advocate for inclusivity and encourage visitors to think critically about the role of art in society and how it can be used to challenge traditional notions of accessibility and representation.

Moreover, this project is in collaboration with the Voices for Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health and disabilities. By leading high impact campaigns, through policy and advocacy work, and with community-based projects, they are providing resources and making a difference in the lives of marginalized communities. Voices for Hope Founder, Rabiah Dhaliwal, is the 2021 Recipient of the Canada’s Walk of Fame Community Hero Award and 2023 Recipient of the B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. Voices for Hope has worked on key accessibility initiatives such as integrating sensory technologies into educational institutions that serve as decompression spaces for neurodiverse students and developing micro-grants and support packages for Indigenous populations, in the Vancouver region. 

Through this partnership, we aim to raise awareness about the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals and to promote accessibility, inclusivity, and community engagement in the art world, highlighting the need for art institutions, and society as a whole, to take into consideration a wider range of perspectives.

Sensory Design: Enhancing Awareness and Emotional Terrain

Our sensory exhibit acknowledges that we understand and navigate the world with all five of our senses. Most museums work to make sure that galleries have neutral smells and sounds so that the visitor can focus on the artworks, but those factors can alter the experience significantly. All of the senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, and hearing—are a part of the museum experience. By opening up to multiple sensory dimensions, designers and artists can reach a greater diversity of users. Paintings that can be touched as well as seen facilitate mobility and understanding for sighted, low-vision, and blind users. Audio devices add a new layer of perception using music and audio descriptions. These innovations are beneficial to all users, as sensory design enhances awareness of the body and creates new emotional terrain through its stimulation of our visceral responses. 

Multisensory exhibits are an emerging  concept, and similar exhibits have been held in other parts of the world. For example, the Louvre Museum in France introduced a tactile gallery for visually impaired individuals, which included sculptures that visitors could touch and feel. The Museo Del Prado in Madrid launched an exhibit entitled Touching the Prado featuring six 3D copies of its famous paintings including a version of the Mona Lisa by a pupil of Leonardo Da Vinci’s, which could be touched. These exhibits demonstrate that multisensory design can play a significant role in making art more accessible and inclusive for all.

As a result of this exhibit, 10 high-quality works, representative of both classic and contemporary styles and genres, will be 3D generated and printed to allow visitors to feel the accentuated contours of the brush strokes and mentally recreate the paintings.

In addition to the three-dimensional images, the displays will include didactic material such as texts in braille, sensory boards, audio guides, and opaque glasses aimed at enhancing the experience for both visually impaired and fully sighted visitors.

Target Audience and Education Opportunities

The exhibit is designed to appeal to a broad range of visitors, but specifically to those who are visually impaired, low-vision, and their communities. It provides a unique opportunity for visitors to experience art in a new way, and to gain a deeper understanding of the role of sensory design in enhancing accessibility. We also aim to raise awareness of the needs and abilities of people with visual impairments, to facilitate dialogue between visually impaired individuals and the broader Vancouver community, and to challenge the traditional view of art presentation. We hope that this exhibit will inspire our community to think deeper about how we can use art and creativity to form a more inclusive world. Additionally, we hope it will open the door for new opportunities for educators and students to explore topics related to accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity.

Our upcoming sensory exhibit is an exciting opportunity to explore new ways of experiencing art and to advocate for greater accessibility in all areas of life. We invite you to join us on this movement, spread the word and open your mind to experience art and life beyond sight. Please touch the art!