Canon Europe is to run a ‘World Unseen’ photography exhibition in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) that invites blind, partially sighted and sighted visitors to experience photography in an immersive way. The exhibition will be held at Somerset House, London, 5-7 April.
The exhibition will feature a series of photographs taken by world-renowned photographers and be accompanied with elevated prints, audio descriptions, soundscapes and braille for a tactile experience. A video series will feature partially sighted individuals, including British disability activist, Lucy Edwards, and Menna Fitzpatrick MBE, Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, who have collaborated with Canon to tell their stories and show their reaction to experiencing this photography for the first time.
This isn’t the first time that Canon has brought the arts to life through elevated print. Through its proprietary Prismaelevate XL software and Arizona printer series, Canon has for many years supported art galleries and museums with tactile printing and braille signage - most recently at an experimental photo exhibition in Vienna and at one in the Netherlands.
“Photography is an incredibly powerful medium that can push the imagination and we want this experience to be accessible to everyone. This exhibition was created with blind and partially sighted people in mind to share imagery and the stories behind them in an entirely new way. With Canon’s elevated print technology, we hope all visitors will feel a deeper connection to the emotions and stories that imaging can bring to life,” said Pete Morris, brand and sponsorship senior manager, Canon EMEA.
Dave Williams, inclusive design ambassador at RNIB, added: “The World Unseen exhibition opens up the world of photography and enables more blind and partially sighted people to experience the emotive stories, and physical touch, of these iconic images. As a braille user, it’s fantastic to be working with Canon to raise awareness of the possibilities of textured print and to see in action how technology can make art more accessible for people with sight loss.”