Vision and Visuality

Bellion, Wendy

doi:10.1086/658207

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 5 publications

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“…Many scholars have examined the history of vision and its evolution throughout different centuries (Crary 1988;Debray 1994;Jay 1994;Bellion 2010;Nanay 2015), with some focusing specifically on the relation between ocularcentrism, visual arts, and art history (Davis and Davis 2011;Leahy 2014). In her paper entitled 'Incorporating the Period Eye,' Helen Rees Leahy, a Professor of Museology at the University of Manchester, looks at the impact of the Cartesian tradition on the reception of works of art.…”

Section: Vision Visual Arts and Art Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a More Inclusive Museum: Developing Multi-Sensory Approaches to the Visual Arts for Visually Impaired Audiences

Berube¹

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This thesis investigates the contribution of multi-sensoriality to the understanding and appreciation of two-dimensional artworks, such as drawings or paintings, by people with visual impairments. This exploratory study was conducted from a disability studies perspective, in which the researcher's role was that of a facilitator and the participants were experts of their own experience. This participatory action project draws on interdisciplinary research practices in several interrelated fields, including accessibility and disability studies, blindness studies, anthropology of the senses, tactile perception and haptics, and translation studies. Previous research focused primarily on initiatives to translate visual arts into tactile content to make them accessible to people with visual impairments. The present study contributes to multi-sensory initiatives for the low-vision and blind community, drawing on research findings of sensory museology and cognitive psychology to deepen our knowledge about multi-sensory translation.Data collected from three rounds of individual interviews and one co-design session with visually impaired participants was examined using a qualitative methodology. A thematic analysis was developed to inform design decisions and identify barriers to inclusion in art museums. The study also included the co-creation of multisensory translations of Franklin Carmichael's painting In the Nickel Belt (1928) and Outport Icon #2 (2001 by Duncan de Kergommeaux. The broader findings of this study provide evidence to support the notion that touch and hearing can play a valuable role in conveying the nature of art to visually impaired visitors, giving them greater autonomy in their interpretation.This study challenges the long-standing tradition of museums relying on vision as the only acceptable sense through which visitors can access visual arts. While further work may be needed to assess the degree of equivalence between experiencing a painting through sight and accessing it through touch and hearing, this project establishes a foundation for further research and initiatives pertaining to the implementation of antiocularcentric approaches in museums.

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