Museum of Touch

2022

The project explores the rebirth of the deceased, transforming remains petrified in time to reinterpret their historical and cultural identity. Concealed artifacts preserved in stasis are typically displayed to portray a common narrative historically set in stone. This leaves blind and low vision people with no contextual basis as the objects are encased and therefore imperceptible. By re-evaluating them through tactile models, hidden narratives can revive newfound transparency that deeply enrich its historical, cultural and personal importance.

Group work: 3 people

Background

BLV Significance

Museums utilize visual interactions between visitors and displays for contextual understanding, whereas visual impairment limits the comprehension of historic identity. Regardless of supporting context, objects, where the contents are hidden partially or entirely, are hindered, leaving a fragmented framework regardless of sight. Thus, there is a strong opportunity to explore how to convey inconceivable objects to all visitors alike. More so, exhibiting preserved remains relies on the concept of it being deceased and ‘once alive’, whereas it holds little emotional weight without in-depth visualization. Therefore, encased remains which are unfathomable in their current state could be ‘reborn’ through tactile manipulation to create opportunities that encompass the entirety of their ethos.

Ethics

The justification of displaying the remains of a living being in a public lens is supported by ethical hindsight of the excavation, obtainment, and curation of the body. The project presents each artifact in a respectful manner alongside interactive models and/or activities that are solely educational and thought-provoking, never undermining or objectifying the remains themselves.

PHASE ONE: TACTILE EXPLORATION

PHASE TWO: MUSEUM OF TOUCH (INTERIOR ALTERATION)

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