'How can I describe colors to my blind friend?'
When I was a student at a school for the blind, my art teacher asked me how to describe colors during one of my classes. So, I was thinking about it and suggested describing red as 'the warmth of sunlight' and blue as 'the coolness of water.' However, I found myself struggling to explain purple; I couldn't quite figure out how to explain it."
Red, blue, and purple circles.
"With these questions in mind, I had some other thoughts. I wondered, 'Wouldn't it be helpful if blind people could feel colors through touch?' and 'Is there a way to make art accessible to them?' These thoughts led me to visit an exhibition that turned these abstract ideas into reality. The first thing I encountered was Piet Mondrian's 'Composition A,' made up of big and small rectangles formed by intersecting lines. Running my fingers over these rectangles made of different materials naturally made me think of their colors. The large yellow rectangle, in particular, left a lasting impression."
Composition A - Piet Mondrian
Listening to the explanations from a staff member who majored in art, I had the chance to experience artworks like 'The Red Harmony' by Henri Matisse, 'The Return' by René Magritte, and 'Starry Night' by Vincent van Gogh through touch. It was a truly meaningful time as their kind descriptions allowed for a deeper appreciation of the artworks.
The Red Studio - Henri Matisse
The Return - Rene Magritte
Visually impaired individuals exploring Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night' exhibition by touch
Observing 'tactile exhibition pieces' in a way that becomes understandable through explanations from a staff member with an art background
Before, as someone with visual impairment, I saw art as distant and challenging. However, experiencing art through touch has been an incredibly unique and deeply touching experience. I'm immensely grateful to the artists behind these works and hopeful for the creation of more pieces.
Among the various pieces I experienced, let me introduce the explanations of some particularly impressive artworks. :)
Composition A
Piet Mondrian
1920, 91×90cm
Mondrian's Composition A, hailed as a pioneer of abstract painting, consists of large and small rectangles formed by intersecting black vertical and horizontal lines. Each rectangle achieves balance, filled with black, red, gray, yellow, blue, and white, infusing vitality into the rigid composition. The harmonious shapes created by straight, precise lines and the vibrant primary colors within them evoke a sense of stability through balance and proportion.
The Harmony in Red
Henri Matisse
1908, 180×220cm
This piece depicts a scene akin to a fairy tale, featuring a woman seemingly arranging a table in a room saturated with intense red hues. Disorderly arranged fruits, oil bottles, and potted plants clutter the table. The pattern on the wall and the tablecloth merge seamlessly, blurring the distinction between wall and table. The window on the left of the painting resembles a picture frame, juxtaposing the vibrant red of the room with the serene blue hues of the natural landscape outside.
The Return
René Magritte
1940, 50.2×65cm
Set against a backdrop of the deep blue night sky visible through a window, the artwork portrays a bird-like figure spreading its wings and soaring in the center. Below, a dense green forest stretches, while stars twinkle in the night sky. Within the bird's shape lies a bright daytime sky filled with clouds. On the window sill rests a nest made of straw, holding three pristine white eggs. Magritte captured this dreamlike moment, depicting both day and night simultaneously in the artwork.
Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh
1889, 73.7×92.1cm
Countless yellow stars sparkle against the clear, deep blue night sky. A crescent moon in the right sky emits a vivid yellow glow, illuminating the city, while the cluster of stars and crescent moon swirls into a vortex of light. A cypress tree rises like a flame in the bottom left, harmonizing with the night sky, and a small village gathers in the bottom right. The village showcases church steeples piercing the sky and emits a yellow glow from the roofs and windows.
