Sally’s research investigates how individuals who have been blind since childhood or birth interpret fine art portraits. Through interviewing thirty people who have never been able to see the features on a face clearly from the distance of two metres, Sally examines the extent to which their interests align with current gallery physical and virtual provision.
My study also considers the ways in which portraits illustrate facial expression, posture, costume and surroundings. Lastly, the partners’ interest in artistic techniques is examined. To focus such broad work, ten paintings were selected, all of which portray blind people, and discussed.
The potential impact of my research for people who are visually impaired is the acknowledgement of the variety of opinions about, and ways of being involved, in fine art. I hope gallery curators can seek input from people who are blind throughout any production of Audio Description and/or tactile resources such as bas-reliefs, models or tactile diagrams. Researchers in the field of accessibility and art can explore detailed explanations of interest and difficulties from people who are blind that is not based around a particular short term project in one gallery. The engagement of the thirty partners and their commitment to a topic that at first seems, at best, unnecessary, and at worst highlights their separation from the sighted majority was interesting. Several expressed fascination at the end of an hour and a half’s one to one conversation.
I am learning so much after working with people who are blind or partially sighted for the last 30 years. I feel I am giving back something to those people after I have learnt so much from them. I undertook my specialist teacher training for working with pupils who are visually impaired at UoB in the 1990s. It is such a privilege to return to UoB in an attempt to share their voice with a willing but often uninformed audience.