The SMoA Collection Through Tactile Drawings

Oct 7 - Dec 20

This exhibition began with a consideration of what museums can do to make artwork accessible to a wide variety of people, including those who cannot see or have difficulty seeing.

This exhibition focuses on paintings, which can be considered the most visual form of expression. To make paintings accessible to non-visual viewers, the work will be displayed from the museum's collection along with "tactile drawings.”

Tactile drawing is a tool used to convey images to people with visual impairments through the sense of touch by making outlines and surfaces appear convex and changing materials to change the feel of the painting. Compared to being told in words about the content of a painting, appreciation through the use of tactile images allows the viewer to explore and discover what is depicted at his or her own pace, allowing visitors to search for and discover them.

On the other hand, the process of translating from sight to touch involves several challenges, such as how to express colors, how to convey the texture of the painted objects and paints, and how to experience large-sized works.

To address these issues, the museum consulted with the creators of the tactile drawings and people with visual impairments for this exhibition. The tactile diagrams created in consultation with the artists include several ideas to convey the size and structure of the works.

Hopefully, the encounters with the work through the sense of touch using these tactile diagrams will be a new experience for those who usually view works of art only with the sense of sight. This exhibition will provide an opportunity for a richer appreciation of artworks for people of all kinds, including the seeing-impaired.

Schedule

October 7 to December 20, 2023

Hours
9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Adults ¥540; University and High School Students ¥340; Junior High School Students and Under, Seniors 65 & Over residing in Shiga, Persons with Disability Certificates free.

Venue

Shiga Museum of Art

1740-1 Setaminamiogayacho, Otsu-shi, Shiga 520-2122

Access

From the South exit of Seta Station on the JR Biwako line, take the Teisan bus or Ohmi Railway Bus towards Shigaidai or Daigaku-Byoin and get off at Bunka Zone-mae. The venue is 5 minute walk from there.