[accessibleimage] FW: BlindNews: Not to Touch is Prohibited!: Mexican art exhibit "The Soulin the Hands" premiers in San Francisco

Another article, lots of art stuff seems to be showing up in the news this
week.

Also, I received my very own copy of "Touch the Sun" from Amazon yesterday.
I couldn't spend more than a few minutes with it so far but it seems very
cool.

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindNews-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:BlindNews-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Leon Gilbert
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 10:22 PM
To: Blind News Mailing List
Subject: BlindNews: Not to Touch is Prohibited!: Mexican art exhibit "The
Soulin the Hands" premiers in San Francisco


Epoch Times, New York
Thursday, March 16, 2006

Not to Touch is Prohibited!: Mexican art exhibit "The Soul in the Hands"
premiers in San Francisco

By Merian Kiernan

CAPTION: Six-year-old Lee Winters examines a bronze sculpture titled Mano
(hand) by artist Juan Soriano. This is one of 22 tactile sculptures on
display at the museum Zeum located south of Market St. in San Francisco.
(Ivan Velinov/The Epoch Times)

An interactive, contemporary Mexican art exhibit entitled The Soul in the
Hands or El Alma en las Manos is premiering now through April 2 at "Zeum,"
The Kids Museum in San Francisco. 

Exhibiting at 221 Fourth St., this is its first stop in the United States.
The theme of the show is "Not to Touch is Prohibited!" And though it is for
all peoples, it is especially dedicated to children with visual deficiencies


Some of Mexico's finest artists have collaborated together with the National
Council for the Arts of Mexico (CONACULTA) and Zeum in bringing this touring
show of 22 tactile sculptures to San Francisco. World-renowned artists such
as Coronel, Soriano, Felguerez and Sebastian have contributed to this small
format exhibit which underlines tactile values. 

According to Jonathan Chait from the Consulate of Mexico in San Francisco,
the ministry of Mexico developed this idea of art for visually impaired
children, and then approached those artists who live and work in Mexico. The
response from the artists was enthusiastic. The objective of this show is to
experience art through the hands. 

'Seeing' through touch opens the additional window one often ignores because
of the overwhelming influence of the gift of sight. Visuals play an
important role in education, hence the phrase a picture is worth a thousand
words. Take away the ability to see normally, and the experience to one's
outward reality becomes much more dependent upon sensory factors, through
touch, smell, taste, and hearing. 

Each sculpture has the artist's written understanding to help the child
understand and respond to the piece. The Lighthouse for the Blind and
Visually Impaired is a non-profit organization and the largest Northern
California provider of services and advocacy for the visually impaired. In
partnership with the Light House, great efforts were made to translate the
Spanish into English, as well as to supply Braille in both languages for
this exhibit. There is also an audio presentation, with single words coming
from above each sculpture, to give a further sensation for experience. 

The often-used phrase "seeing is believing" may encourage deeper thinking
when one doesn't have the ability to use the eyes. Chait said, "The tour in
Mexico was very successful, even a lot of the children who are not visually
impaired blindfolded themselves so they could go through the exhibit to get
all the forms, textures and shape experiences without sight." Reliance on
inner sight as well as all of the senses is what these visual artists are
trying to bring out in participants. 

Mexican artist Yvonne Domenge has written in her artist's statement that
"Yvonne is a very optimistic and enthusiastic woman, so her children say she
has the curse of magic, because in life she always says: 'This is possible!
How wonderful!' She conveys this attitude in her sculptures. So I ask you,
what do you think of her sculpture called 'The Seed of a Hurricane?' To find
out, get closer, smell it and feel it. Yvonne would like you to so that you
too can discover the magic that every masterpiece holds inside." 

Mexican writer Ruben Reyes Ramirez explains that among those with
disabilities, children and young people alike are still intact in their
spiritual sphere. With this perceptive potential that not only sustains, but
also is capable of reaching an even more finely attuned, special oneness
with the art, understanding can be attained. He writes that "by answering
the call of art with different means of approaches" and by using their
intuitive arsenal, these sight disabled people can "discover-or better
yet-awaken in art, images and inaugural meanings." 

Lisa Dunmeyer, the exhibit manger of Zeum says, "It's been a great
experience for us. We have been doing a spotlight on youth art programs for
four years now. We want to be able to foster creativity in a number of
different ways for youth and for a wide array of audiences including those
with various disabilities. From a sculptural and literary standpoint this
exhibit can be a natural extension for all kids to use the Zeum's clay
animation studio afterwards to create something that inspired them after
responding to 'The Soul in the Hands.' The School of the Blind is coming on
April 16 as well as lots of other groups, sighted or disabled. The call is
out! Come 'see' the show!" 

Speaking to one enthusiastic six-year-old participant, Lee Winters, his
appreciation summed things up. He said, "I like all of it, but especially
the sculpture (Juan Soriano's 'Hand') that looks like the Statue of
Liberty!" His amazement of so many sensations of touch was amplified by his
mother Susan's comment of, "Isn't it nice to touch things in a museum that
usually doesn't let you touch?" 


http://english.epochtimes.com/news/6-3-16/39391.html


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