blindness

2011 - january 30

temporary sight removal project

In conjunction with Trade Gallery (plus The Aspens and Recess Gallery):

I was invited by Recess Gallery curator, Tori Abernathy, to create a social experiment installation/performance piece. Here is what I devised. You can see complete details on this .pdf: Temporary Sight Removal

This workship aims to remove the sight of viewers temporarily, in a scientifically safe and meaningful way. I will be collecting donations to benefit organizations that support the blind in the Pacific Northwest, as well.

Participants will be invited to choose one of the four remaining senses, and a mini-tour will be crafted so that participants can enjoy their chosen sense to the fullest. Activities to choose from include:

HEARING:

• Eavesdrop upon the conversations of passer-byers.
• Embrace a custom-crafted sound collage that features interviews with sight-impaired individuals.
• Dive into "Spanish Sahara" by Foals (Sub Pop Records).

TOUCH

• Read Braille literature, while a translator translates the words verbally.
• Get touch-acquainted with the faces of willing participants.
• Explore textural nuances of objects in the room.

SMELL

• Experience a pre-determined scent collection.
• Enjoy the scents of the Body Shop.
• Familiarize yourself with the scent differences between various kinds of paper.

TASTE

• Sample a collection of tastes culled from the supermarket.
• Purchase and enjoy a beverage or food item of your choice.
• Try variations of the same beverage to experience the variations.

2011 - january 10

a day of blindness

As an experiment, I indulged in a day of complete blindness. The intention was 24 hours of no sight, by means of a contraption called a MINDFOLD. MINDFOLD is a blindfold that envelops you in complete and TOTAL darkness. It's perhaps even more extreme than many forms of blindness. I typed two pages about my experience while blind, though the pages will come later, for the typewriter ran out of ribbon (without my knowing it), and the response needs to be charcoaled to be readable. Coming soon.