Fallen Angel: Agnes Chevalier (mixed media and textiles)

Please touch the exhibits!

Visitors are usually told sternly not to touch the artworks, but at Zoom Arts‘ next exhibition in their Warrior Square gallery that is precisely what we are invited to do. Welcome to their special sensory exhibition which opens on Monday 16 October. Nick Terdre reports.

“In this exhibition everyone is encouraged to touch the artwork. Those with sight loss can enjoy the artwork without support, and those with sight can explore using their other senses,” says Emma Harding of the Zoom Arts collective, who helped organise the show.

Given that sight is the dominant sense for most of us, it’s a thought-provoking initiative, both for the sighted and those with no or limited sight who are excluded from many artistic offerings. Audio descriptions of the works will be available via QR codes linking to your phone.

Optional masks will be provided for sighted visitors who may need to make an effort to let their tactile senses take over.

Icarus: Nick Hill

Some Zoom Arts members have created specific tactile pieces for the exhibition, herself included, says Emma, who features ceramics among her artistic endeavours. Others have looked through their work to find pieces that can be appreciated through touch.

The original idea for the show came following the visit of a young blind or partially sighted girl to the gallery who at the time was volunteering with the Thomas Pocklington Trust, a charity which supports blind and partially sighted people with a focus on education, employment and engagement and works closely with the Sight Loss Council.

David Smith, the charity’s engagement manager for the South East, subsequently got in touch and suggested working together to develop resources and improve accessibility, Emma explains.

The trust, which has now used artwork from Zoom members to produce a booklet on Top tips for assisting and describing art to blind and partially sighted visitors, advised on the presentation and publicity for the show.

Fall (detail): Emma Harding

“For many artists it is difficult to imagine what it is like to appreciate art without sight,” Emma says. “The Thomas Pocklington Trust have a vision for a society where all blind and partially sighted people can participate fully.

“We are obviously a long way from delivering that, but we are on a learning curve and it has been really challenging and exciting to think of how our work appeals to our senses other than sight.”

On some days the gallery will provide the opportunity to work with clay using just a sense of touch.

So come along and take this opportunity to explore and celebrate the appreciation of art using our non sight senses – hopefully it won’t be the last in Hastings.

Art Over Sight: Zooms Arts special sensory exhibition Zoom Arts Gallery, St Leonards Warrior Square station, Monday 16 October–Sunday 22 October, 11am–4pm. The gallery is on the ground floor and fully accessible.

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