PIONEERING ART PROJECT FOR VISUALLY-IMPAIRED PEOPLE AIMS TO CHALLENGE PRE-CONCEPTIONS
A pioneering art project which will challenge people’s perceptions about how visually-impaired people perceive the world around them has been launched by Norfolk’s sight loss charity.
Sight Lines will see a series of art workshops for visually-impaired people, culminating in a week-long exhibition of work in Norwich’s Castle Quarter at the end of March.
Vision Norfolk (formerly known as the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind) has appointed an artist-in-residence to lead the project, which aims to ‘challenge perceptions and re-educate audiences on what sight loss means’.
Now visually-impaired people are being invited to take part in a programme of workshops over the next two months, ranging from painting and portraiture, photography, creative writing, sculpture, print and experimental performance.
Work produced by the visually-impaired artists will be displayed at an exhibition from Tuesday 24th March to Saturday 28th March, on the Upper Floor of Castle Quarter in Norwich.
“Few sighted people really understand how visually-impaired perceive the world, and this project is aimed at challenging pre-conceived ideas,” said Clive Evans of Vision Norfolk.
“It may seem counter-intuitive to use visual arts to demonstrate this, but when you have seen the quality and breadth of art that visually-impaired people can produce, it can take your breath away.
“We are very excited to have artist Amy Fellows as our artist-in-residence, and we are very grateful to Castle Quarter for offering us space to showcase the work which is produced.
“We would really encourage visually-impaired people to come and have a go – they will be surprised at what they can create.”
The workshops are as follows:
- Wednesday 29th January, 10am-1pm: Pet Portraiture with guest artist Kate Elgood
- Monday 3rd February, 1pm-4pm: Landscape Painting with visually-impaired guest artist Bob Maple
- Friday 7th February, 1.30pm-3.30pm: Blind Movement Workshop with artist-in-residence Amy Fellows. This outdoor event at Cow Tower in Norwich will be captured by blind photographer and film-maker Ian Treharne. Sighted participants are also invited to take part in this event.
- Monday 17th February: Wax Modelling Workshop aimed at young visually-impaired people, run by the Portable Foundry project. This event will be followed up by a trip to the foundry in Framlingham on Saturday 29th February to see the metal casting process
- Tuesday 18th February, 2pm-4pm: Letterpress Workshop for Creative Writing run by Print to the People
Workshops take place at the Bradbury Activity Centre at Vision Norfolk in Beckham Place, Norwich, except for the Blind Movement Workshop on 7th February which takes place at Cow Tower in Norwich.
For more details and to book a place, contact Mark Smith on 01603 973216, or at marksmith@nnab.org.uk.