24 May 2012
Braille art exhibit proves a real eye-opener
Images show some examples of Miriam's work.
Ways of making visual art more accessible for visually impaired people have been explored in the work of a Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) graduand, who is herself blind in one eye and short-sighted in the other.
Miriam Rowley's work, currently being shown at the DJCAD Degree Show, is the result of two year's worth of development. Braille and light have become integral to Miriam's art, as she has sought to make the point that just because someone can't see, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have less vision or insight.
Motivated by her own visual impairment, Miriam's works include sculptures made from glass inscribed with quotations in Braile. The Bible, Plato and singer-songwriter Tim Buckley are among the diverse range of sources that have provided words of wisdom, often related to sight and vision, which ended up featuring in Miriam's Degree Show pieces.
Miriam says that central to her work is a belief that art should be experienced on an emotional, rather than merely visual, level.
"Whereas some people are great at dealing in facts and figures, I'm definitely a visual thinker and picture things as a way of processing information," she said. "One of the messages I'm trying to get across is that this hasn't been affected by my own visual impairment.
"I am a very sentimental person and I find it difficult to make art I can connect with unless it's personal to me. My work is about insight and inner vision, and the quotes reflect this. One of my pieces was inspired by a dream my dad had about me, because I see dreams as another kind of vision.
"Because of the Braille component, my works are very tactile and they are meant to be touched to make them as inclusive as possible. The translation of the Braille will be displayed alongside them so sighted people don't miss out, and my dissertation has been printed out in Braille for any visually impaired people who want to read it."
The 24-year-old, originally from Gauldry in Fife, said she wanted to raise awareness of the barriers facing visually impaired people in terms of participation in art, as well as the opportunities available to them.
The more research Miriam carried out, the more she found out about the issues surrounding art for the blind. She was surprised to find out that there was a thriving Braille art scene, and this has led to her receiving a possible commission to create a piece for a collector on the other side of the world.
"The name visual art can be enough to put some people off," she continued. "I never let anyone know about my condition when I came here but I wish I did in some ways now when I see the fantastic support available.
"I looked into what support there was within Disability Services at the University and I have to say the facilities and assistance is just brilliant. I started off believing that there wasn't much on offer for visually impaired art students but I was proven wrong.
"Now I really want to make as many people as possible aware that being visually impaired doesn't automatically mean they can't participate in art. The more that people know, the less likely they are to be intimidated about the prospect of coming to University to study art.
"I interviewed blind artists, and found out that there is actually an existing market in Braille art. Although it's quite niche, there are a lot of collectors out there, and within a few days of my website going live I had been contacted by a woman in New Zealand whose husband is blind. We are now in discussions about a commission to produce a piece of work for him.
"There are lots of issues but also opportunities. Visual impairment is such a broad term and contains a whole spectrum of conditions. My knowledge about the issue has increased, but my aim remains to make galleries and the crafts more accessible and appealing to people with a visual impairment."
Notes to editors:
Dundee Degree Show
19th -27 May 2012 (Preview May 18th)
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design
University of Dundee
13 Perth Road
Dundee DD1 4HT
T 01382 388828.
E djcadexhibitions@dundee.ac.uk
www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow
Exhibition open:
Saturday, May 19th (10am-4pm)
Sunday, May 20th (10am-4pm)
Monday, May 21st (10am-8pm)
Tuesday, May 22nd (10am-8pm)
Wednesday, May 23rd (10am-8pm)
Thursday, May 24th (10am-8pm)
Friday, May 25th (10am-8pm)
Saturday, May 26th (10am-4pm)
Sunday, May 27th (10am-4pm)
Graduate work on display:
Animation
Art, Philosophy, Contemporary Practices
Digital Interaction Design
Fine Art
Graphic Design
Illustration
Interior Environmental Design
Jewellery & Metal Design
Product Design
Textile Design
Time Based Art & Digital Film
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
