Mind’s Eye was a pilot project aiming to bring people who experience visual impairment in contact with contemporary art, through the research, the development and the implementation of a cohesive system of inclusive and multi-sensory applications that propose a different way of perceiving art, beyond sight. The project was implemented in a section of the space and part of the permanent collection of MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Regional
Greece
Municipality of Thessaloniki, Region of Central Macedonia
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2021-11-30
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Off Stream Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Styliani Last name of representative: Anastasaki Gender: Female Nationality: Greece Function: Co-founder | R & D Manager at Off Stream Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Kritis 36 Town: Thessaloniki Postal code: 54645 Country: Greece Direct Tel:+30 231 129 2282 E-mail:info@offstream.org Website:https://offstream.org
Mind’s Eye was a project focused on the design of inclusive practices aiming to enable people who experience visual impairments to enjoy the unique experience of connecting with art. The aspiration of Minds’ Eye was the removal of barriers and the promotion of equity in access for people with visual impairments in art and culture. Mind's Eye was realized in the framework of the START-Create Cultural Change program and was implemented at the MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art, in collaboration with the Center for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind-Thessaloniki’s Branch. During the project several professionals from different disciplines have collaborated with experts from the community of the visually impaired and developed inclusive practices for the interpretation of the artworks and the accessibility of the museum space. The adopted methodologies were Universal Design along with experiential learning principles. The practices are applied as audio-haptic auxiliary aids to 10 artworks from the museum’s permanent collection and focus on sparking multi-sensorial stimuli. The practices were developed from January until June 2020, using new media and proposed alternative ways of approaching and engaging in art beyond sight. The result of the project was the creation of a cohesive system of interconnected practices that combine audio and tactile stimuli enabling the autonomous and safe access to the museum space and collection to all visitors, including people with visual impairments. Additional outcome was the dissemination of the project’s best practices through the virtual MeetUp, raising awareness to cultural professionals and general audiences on matters of inclusion, held on the occasion of the International Museum Day, on 16th May 2020. Mind’s Eye inclusive practices after the conclusion of the project, were donated to the MOMus where they are included until today, providing access to people with visual impairment to selected works of the museum’s collection.
Inclusion
Visual impairment
Contemporary Art
Universal Design
Museums
The concept behind the project Mind’s Eye was to design and implement inclusive solutions that are sustainable, from an environmental aspect and also in the sense of serving their purpose for a long time without further modifications while they can easily be multiplied to other environments.
Regarding the ecological aspect of sustainability, throughout the project the objective was to implement a minimal waste principle combined with a zero footprint approach. More specifically, the common practice related to information addressed to people with visual impairment was avoided, which usually involves the printing and re-printing of embossed braille on paper. Instead, a fully accessible digital solution was developed including all information regarding the project and the museum’s artworks. The printed matter was restricted only to signs indicating areas of interest in the museum space, to inclusive labels of the artworks and the printing of one twin vision catalogue for visitors who prefer braille reading.
Another decision regarding the sustainability of the project was to source all materials used for the production of the inclusive applications locally. Also, the designers who developed them were local professionals. This choice, apart from the minimal ecological footprint, also had another positive effect since the designers we collaborated with were also trained by the project’s team in creating inclusive prints and objects and therefore were able to extend their services to new markets. Mind’s Eye project was entirely based on the Universal design principles, therefore anything created was an object or a service that complied with the needs of multiple user groups and averted specialised design or extra modifications for specific audiences. This decision proved beneficial on environmental terms as energy production was reduced when these specifications were taken into account from the initial design phase.
The combination of aesthetics with best user experience was one of the aims of Mind’s Eye project. From the visual identity, to the twin vision catalogue and the auxiliary aids, everything was designed in order to be easily communicated to people with visual impairment, while maintaining the finest aesthetic quality.
The selection of artworks was based on two main criteria: to make the wide spectrum of contemporary art accessible and to showcase as many genres of art as possible. Therefore artworks in the form of painting, silk-screen printing, traditional and kinetic sculpture, installation and assemblage were included. In order to find the most appropriate way of tactile reproductions, research was conducted combined with the constant feedback of the focus group, in order to render the main aesthetic characteristics of each artwork with respect to each artist’s unique idiom. Also the materials used for each representation were carefully chosen in order to provide a rich tactile experience. For 2 artworks, the museum management granted permission to be available for tactile exploration in their original form by all visitors. For the other 8 artworks, tactile representations were created using 3D modeling & 3D printing, laser cutting, custom design and UV/raised ink printing. For the 3 artworks by the artist Takis, Sonic, Signals, and Musical, three interactive museum-educational boxes were designed by Katerina Bakaliou using sound, electromagnetic power and other interactive objects to translate colours into sound and transfer the essence of the artist’s practice and vision. For each artwork audio descriptions were produced, accessed through an accessible website. Additionally, the solutions applied propose the participation of the user to serve their purpose. This kind of interaction changes the established rules of conduct in a museum space, turning the visitor from a passive spectator to an active participator able to select the desired level of interaction.
The key objectives of this project were the inclusion of people with visual impairment in art and the dissemination of best practices so other cultural organisations may change their mainstream practice and adopt a more inclusive modus operandi in the future.
Working collaboratively and on an equal footing with people with disabilities proved to be the most crucial element of this project. Not only it helped the project’s team to identify and dismantle barriers, but also to approach accessibility in the same creative way that they tackle other aspects of their work. By placing people with visual impairment at the heart of the process several barriers formed by lack of knowledge and understanding dismantled, while contributing to something more essential: bringing down the “us and them” distinction, which is at the root of the discrimination still faced by people with disabilities. The adoption of this co-creating process also was beneficial for the persons with disabilities involved in the project since it boosted their self esteem and broadened their knowledge on art, apart from creating new job positions.
Adopting the principles of Universal design since the initiation of the project was proven to be most effective. Taking as given that what works for disabled people works for all, a system of inclusive solutions was developed that benefited all people. Also, multisensory practices allowed all visitors with widely ranging ages, abilities, levels of interest, learning styles, and cultural identities to access the museums’ exhibits and have fun doing so. Designing with the principles of Universal design provided solutions and opportunities addressed equally to all without stigmatizing some groups, in a way that these features are essentially unnoticed. Furthermore, designing universally and including a focus group of people with disabilities was a well established practice that characterised all stages of the project and our work since then.
The main target audience of the project, the community of people with visual impairments, had a crucial role from the initial phase of the design process. A focus group of members from the community was formed with the contribution of CERB-Center for the Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind-Thessaloniki’s branch, one of the main partners of the project. The focus group consisting of people with different levels of visual impairment worked closely with the designers and professionals that collaborated in the context of the project, providing consultancy and conducting frequent quality checks. According to their feedback and contribution decisions were made integrating them into the final designs.
The selection of the artworks was also conducted in collaboration with the curators of MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art, the Mind’s Eye team, the mobility/orientation trainer from CERB and members of the focus group.
The funding bodies, START-Create Cultural Change program in collaboration with Goethe-Institut of Thessaloniki, worked closely with the project’s team providing assistance in legal and other administrative matters in the course of the implementation.
Additionally, public inclusive tours were organised in the premises of the museum, conducted by members of the focus group, raising awareness to the local community regarding the right of access to cultural goods for everyone, the applications of Mind’s Eye project and the progress made in the implementation of inclusive practices in the museum. These collaborative processes, maintained throughout the project, had a significantly positive impact on the final outcomes. They increased the visibility of the community of people with visual impairment, provided space for self expression through the guided tours that benefited both the audience and members of the focus group and finally paved the way for adopting these inclusive and collaborative processes in other museums and institutions.
The project was supported by START-Create Cultural Change. START was a program of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, conducted in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki, and the German Association of Socioculture, supported by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation and the Bodossaki Foundation. These foundations (local, regional, European) provided financial support and had the overview of the project.
At the local level the project was implemented in collaboration with the MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art and the Center for the Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind-Thessaloniki’s Branch. The museum provided the collection and space and the CERB provided guidance about the visual impairment and the connection with the community of people with visual impairments in Thessaloniki.
Additional funding was achieved with the support of the Ophthalmica Institute of Ophthalmology & Microsurgery who supported the design of the mindseye.gr website. Ktima Gerovassiliou, winery & estate, supported the production of a 3D printed auxiliary aid for the artwork “Airplane” by the artist A. Akrithakis of the MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art collection. Twenty professionals from various disciplines (art, museology, product & graphic design, 3D design, architecture, music, web development, cultural management) worked together and developed solutions, guided from a focus group of people with visual impairment which ensured the functionality and the best user experience of the applied solutions. Furthermore, 8 invited experts shared best practices and knowledge on the inclusion and accessibility of visually impaired persons in the experience of culture at the Mind’s Eye-MeetUp multiplying the impact of the project and disseminating its results. The experts were from the fields of culture, education, ophthalmology, cultural management and from the community of persons with visual impairment. All contributed to the development and the successful implementation of the project.
Interdisciplinarity, cross sector collaborations and co-creation were at the core of Mind’s Eye project. A group of professionals from different scientific fields was formed from the initial stage of the project, bringing their own expertise, while being open to new stimuli and gaining new knowledge from the experience of their participation in the project.
The team consisted of professionals from the scientific fields of arts and ICT, such as art history, pedagogy, museology and museum education, cultural management, economics, architecture, product & graphic design, web development, film and music. The collaboration among the different sectors brought a plurality of opinions and expertise to the project which contributed to its scientific excellence and sustainability.
In all stages of the project, fruitful knowledge exchanges took place that led to the development of inclusive practices and the production of an enhanced museum experience addressed equally to all. Of utmost importance, however, was also the culture brought by the project members, who collaborated with each other, exchanged best practices and created solutions that were functional to the project's target audiences. Critical to the project’s design process was also the engagement of a focus group from the community of the visually impaired persons, which provided consultation and guidance at all stages of the project and gave feedback to all team members. The focus group formed with the contribution of a mobility/orientation and daily living skills instructor and consisted of members experiencing different levels of visual impairment, covering a wide range of abilities, skills and preferences. The team members were guided by the project’s manager, and several collaborations were formed, such as the graphic designer with the product designer and the web developer, the font developer and the musician with the members of the focus group and the curators etc.
The outcomes of Mind’s Eye project included the creation of a coherent system of inclusive practices distinguished on three levels: the physical museum space, the selected artworks and the digital environment. The system created in the Mind’s Eye context consisted of: a tactile ground surface indicator and three tactile maps that marked routes, places of interest and the artworks, an inclusive website hosting all information regarding the project and the artworks including audio descriptions, ten artworks from the permanent collection which became accessible by other senses beyond sight, a digital greek braille font, an inclusive twin vision catalogue available to museum visitors, inclusive twin vision labels for the ten artworks, a fully accessible online MeetUp aiming to raise awareness on inclusive practices in cultural institutions and a series of guided inclusive tours addressed equally to people with and without disabilities, conducted by the members of the focus group who participated in the project.
After the conclusion of the project all the inclusive practices were donated to the MOMus museums, travelling along the exhibits to other locations and providing access also to visually impaired persons. As a result of the Mind’s Eye project, MOMus-MCA since 2020 receives visitors from the community of the blind, who, for the first time were able to independently visit a museum in their city and to perceive art autonomously, forming their own opinions and impressions. It is worth mentioning the case of a blind visitor and with no prior knowledge of contemporary art, after multiple visits to a specific artwork that was rendered accessible in the context of Mind’s Eye, started creating her own clay sculptures inspired by this artwork. The most essential impact occurred was that all applications created in the project’s context enhanced all visitors’ experience, while nurturing interactions among visitors of all ages, genres, with or without disabilities.
If, as many professionals increasingly claim, museums are important because they promote understanding and respect between diverse communities then, we would argue, they are well placed to embed a commitment to accessibility and inclusion for disabled people at their core, playing a leading role in identifying and dismantling physical, intellectual and emotional barriers to culture (Sandell.Nightingale.2012:70)
Mind's Eye was not the first project aimed at the accessibility of visually impaired people in art implemented in Greece. Mind's Eye was an attempt to dive deeper into the issue of inclusion in art more systematically, putting the disabled person at the center of the design process with the provision of a quality museum experience.
The innovation of this project is initially distinguished for the adoption of a focus group and the development of a meaningful dialogue with the visually impaired community. On another level, it is also distinguished for the use of universal design, the utilization of new media and technologies, for the interdisciplinarity, for the dissemination of good practices and finally for the achievement of accessibility on a physical, intellectual, digital and social level. Technological developments that provided new possibilities and assistive technologies used in the project, the promotion of accessibility and inclusion as a priority at European and global level and the framework of the START scholarship grant, were only a few of the factors that had a catalytic effect, creating the right conditions for the implementation of Mind's Eye at this particular time, in a global, co-creative and interdisciplinary manner. Also, in the context of the project a digital font for the Greek Braille was created for the first time, which simplified the process of designing twin vision books and documents in Greek language.
Having as a starting point the social model of disability (UPIAS.1976: 3), the methodology applied at all stages of Mind's Eye project was a combination of the principles of Universal Design with the principles of Experiential Learning (Learning by Doing). Key factor to the successful implementation of the project was also the formation of an interdisciplinary team of professionals who shared the vision of equal participation and developed with great care solutions that were implemented at all levels of the project. Another crucial point regarding the methodology was the formation and incorporation to the project team of a focus group of people with different levels of visual impairment who conducted quality checks and provided guidance during all stages of the project.
Universal Design enhances accessibility from the initial design stage of a project, taking for granted that what works for people with disabilities works for everyone. It also includes, "multisensory practices that allow all visitors of all ages, abilities, interest levels, learning styles and cultural identities to access and enjoy museum exhibits" in a way that accessibility features go essentially unnoticed.(Mauldin·Sullivan. 2020:16).
In the same manner, the practices developed in the context of Mind's Eye can be used by several audience groups such as people who experience partial or total loss of vision, deaf and hard of hearing people, to the elderly, to children, to families as well as to the general public of all ages.
The methodological approach was also based on the principles of Experiential Learning, providing a range of sensory stimuli while allowing visitors to choose the level of interaction they desire. Visitors following their own rhythm have the possibility to freely express themselves creatively by activating other senses, such as touch, hearing, sight (Nikonanou.2010), even experiencing the feeling of the surrounding space.
All of Mind’s Eye components, from its methodology to its processes, technology and learnings, can be applied not only in an art gallery or other museums but also in other spaces such as hospitals, supermarkets or other public services. Additionally, the products of Mind’s Eye do not only serve the needs of visually impaired visitors of the museum but also are used very frequently by elderly persons who experience sight deterioration or difficulty in reading texts, by people who are not very familiar with greek language, since the texts use a more simplified language than the museum’s curatorial texts, by children visiting the museum and are able to touch freely the tactile representations of the artworks created, as well as any visitor since it has been observed that this inclusive system of applications are enhancing the museum experience of all visitors and enables interactions between users and audience groups, leading to the abolition of discrimination.
The process and the methodology of Mind's Eye project are often showcased as a good practice in national, local and regional press articles related to inclusion in art. Also, Mind’s Eye has been the study case of a dissertation submitted to the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics of the International Hellenic University and members of the project’s team were invited to hold a lecture on their methodology to the students of the course "Cultural Heritage and Applications for Accessibility and Inclusion" by Ms. Chara Kanari, Assistant Professor of Museum Education at the School of Early Childhood Education of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Furthermore the attention received from the project led the University of Piraeus to invite the project team to talk at the 10th TEDxUniversity of Piraeus and it was also awarded by the Adelphi University in New York in 2022.
The main global challenge this project aimed to address was the right for equal access and participation in culture. For people with disabilities, the fight for equal access to arts and culture is part of a broader struggle for access to both physical resources and intangible benefits in daily life (Sullivan.Mauldin.2020). While access to buildings and facilities may be improving, museums and galleries continue to showcase art that is itself inaccessible to people with disabilities.
A DEMOS-report (Miller.Parker.Gillinson.2004) argues that while many legal and institutional barriers to integration are being tackled, the necessary cultural change is yet to come. How we look at, how we perceive disability is crucial to tackling stereotypes, and museums are just one of the rungs on the ladder that disabled people need to climb, to realise their full potential for the benefit of all society.
Mind’s Eye project made this issue more clear at the local level while it provided up to date affordable solutions. Solutions that could be adopted by other cultural institutions, making culture and life in general more equal for all. As we consider it more effective and sustained change, requires a change in organisational culture and practices to ensure all can develop a genuine understanding of the responsibilities to enhance access for all. This was achieved through the collaboration with persons from the community the project aimed to include.
Furthermore, by disseminating the findings through the online Mind’s Eye-MeetUp the project intended to inform cultural professionals and the general public, in an attempt to impact the mainstream museum practice, helping them to develop practitioner confidence in working in these largely uncharted areas. With the aspiration that the project’s most significant, long-term impact will act as catalyst and resource for change within the museum and heritage sector in Greece and abroad.
