We traveled with members of the Therapeutic Gardening group of the Center for the Blind in Beer Sheba, to the accessible exhibition "Beam of Light" presented during the months of November and December at the Artists' Residence Gallery in Beer Sheva. This exhibition is an initiative of artist Veronica Ellran to encourage artists to create works permitted to be touched and that are also suitable for the blind population.
As I heard about the project I immediately told the group about it and we decided to visit the gallery. In addition to co-ordinate and guide one of the group members I was very anxious to see and experience, if only slightly, how do blind and visually impaired people experience art?
Great part of the text below is what I have personally experienced during this exciting visit.
Everyone felt a great excitement, but also suspense from going into the unknown – an unfamiliar place with all that implies. We dispersed at the gallery and each participant was attached to a sighted guide, allowing them to progress at their own pace in front of the works on display, in a personal and quiet encounter.
The meeting took place with great concentration, as a sacred mission in the observer's experience. One could sense how each visitor mobilizes all he has: a narrow look with the remains of vision. Even the blind among us, it seems that they take a look at the piece of art and a glow and a smile are drawn on their faces. After touching carefully - touch! The works are different and also the visitors are different, and so are the encounters, different and exciting.
Esther, went blind at an older age, and is an amateur painter at the class held at the Center of the Blind. When her hand touches a painting, an abstract painting, it is evident that she recognizes the lines and shapes. She is lacking the colors and the whole composition. But the dialogue between the observer and the work is there. The guide and the voice device, fill in the gaps.
When Esther stood in front of the statue: one hand caresses and the other hand joins it, is it a horse or a lion?
After checking every part, often the gaze becomes clear, the eyes are shining and the vision is revealed: "I think that is a harp made of natural materials". I was moved, indeed there is a dialogue between the observer and the work!!!
Our observers needed some mediation, so I was glad that everyone got an explanatory ultrasonic device to help them to complete the understanding. If necessary, they can listen to explanations that expand the artistic experience and often they arrange the collection of the fragile information gathered during the direct examination.
I accompanied Shulamit who is visually impaired. She cannot rely on her sight, so she was happy that she was granted the possibility to caress and feel the work and listen to explanations. Tremor of excitement took hold of her, she had never been in an exhibition before. With the brightening of each picture, a light came to her face and the desire to see more and more intensified and even her walking became more confident.
Pnina, who became blind at a young age and suffers from a hearing impairment, was concentrated to connect the gathered information into a whole. Each mediation fills in the gaps: listening to the recorded explanations, as an accompanist, I was tempted more than once to rush and fill in the gaps. I was careful to intervene only when necessary. This enabled her to process independently the information and to find out what was in front of her.
Ilan, whose vision faded for blindness in the recent years, is a hopelessly curious person, who gives himself no discounts because of his disability.
Ilan seats and examines the sculpture of children playing marbles. The sculptures are of the size of a child, so it is necessary to collect a lot of information to get the complete picture. He tries to sit like one of the children and listens to the explanations.
Have you ever seen such an observer in the gallery?
What else are members of the Center of the Blind able to "see"? While touching, the materials from which the sculpture is created, are exposed.
They were happy to discover ceramic works from the artist Pnina Barkai, who holds ceramic classes at the Center of the Blind. Now the inquiry, curiosity and even the analytical hand, are motivating them.
The hand is caressing the bowl with embossed lace, the undulating language that adorns it. "Which color?" asks Pnina, as this is the only thing hidden from her.
Esther discovered a new sculpture material: glass. Cool and smooth, layers and cavities. It's very interesting. I added a description of the color and the transparency and how the light coming from the window adds to the creation lightning and contrast. I tried to restore what she had seen in the past and it seemed as if she wanted to swallow everything.
As time went on, I felt the excitement of all of us was increasing. But my curiosity to listen to them together with the need to calm them for the trip back, set the sequel:
At the end of the personal impression we gathered for a Gallery Talk. Who would have thought that such deep impressions and so significant questions will arise from blind observers! Yes, observers, is there any doubt that this is indeed observing?
For the first time in their lives as blind people, they are in a gallery exhibition.
This is the first time they touch the works and do not violate the rules of the place. And this is the first time that all this was prepared especially for them.
I was awed by how the concepts of art and their work was intensified. Esther said that now she wants to paint and sculpt in a different way! She received inspiration to use diverse materials and to paint other themes. To be more leading and not be led in these circles.
The other members have said that, of course, they want to meet artists, visit galleries. And Pnina said with a smile: it is also possible to set up a gallery here in the Center for the Blind. A smile of satisfaction spread across our faces.
We went into the courtyard of the gallery. It was a sunny day. On the benches, surrounded by the sculptures of the garden, we had breakfast with herbal tea of our garden, like we do at the Center for the Blind. But I realized that this garden has few plants, but many sculptures scattered all around, and most of them are sculptures of trees.
Maybe we can invite artists to sculpt for us, or with us, a sculpture for our garden?
The strength of the ideas that arose from one only visit and from one exhibition excited my heart! So much respect for the individual, the artist and the art critic result from this and so much respect for the work, the artist and the gallery, as the place where all of them get together.
Sometimes it seems that details that a sighted person cannot see, are revealed. A concentrated touch gives greater respect to each detail. Because depth is in the small details, through a slow and centralized discovering (sighted people sometimes allow themselves to flutter, to be impressed from a general standpoint).
I know that this experience will affect my work of therapeutic gardening. An experience which generates a change!
I started to look for topics connecting between creation and nature – a picture and the therapeutic gardening world!
We decided on the first activity: a growing picture! Sure we'll be creating more amazing works.
Who knows, maybe we will invite sighted people to our exhibition.
Thanks to all the people that due to them we had the privilege to do this event and, especially to the artist Veronica Ellran and, of course, to all the artists who have agreed to join the idea. And to the Artists’ Residence that gave its patronage and even enlarged and devoted a room of the gallery to display the paintings of the Center for the Blind members.
And the big winners are, of course, all of us together!
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