Sarah Barron, QUT Art Museum. Making Visible presentation at Opening Doors: 2019 Museums & Galleries Queensland Conference.

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MAKING VISIBLE
Exploring different ways of
seeing in the art museum
Photo: Thomas Oliver

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VIS-ABILITY: ARTWORKS FROM
THE QUT ART COLLECTION
11 May – 4 August 2019
QUT Art Museum
Artists: Tony Albert; Davida Allen; David Band;
Lyndell Brown, Charles Green and Jon Cattapan;
Elisa Jane Carmichael; Dean Cross; Jack Dale; Kim
Demuth; Karla Dickens; Julie Dowling; Emily Ngarnal
Evans; Julie Fragar; Elsie Gabori; Denise Green;
Dale Harding; Louise Hearman; Dai Li; Deborah
Mansfield; Karla Marchesi; Donna Marcus; Tracey
Moffatt; Pierre Mukeba; Garry Namponan; Mitjili
Napurrula; Raquel Ormella; Catherine Parker; Tom
Risley; Vincent Serico; Kenji Uranishi; Gerry Wedd;
Judith Wright; Barrupu Yunupingu; Dhopiya
Yunupingu; Djakanngu Dorothy Yunupingu; Gulumbu
Yunupingu; Djerrkngu Yunupingu; Nyapanyapa
Yunupingu; and Ranydjupi Yunupingu.
Photo: Carl Warner

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Vis-ability: Artworks from the QUT Art Collection aimed to increase
the visibility of the QUT Art Collection, while broadening audiences'
perception of 'visual' art, through drawing on different perspectives,
positions and senses, to encourage different ways of seeing.
Photo: Thomas Oliver

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PROJECT TEAM AND PARTNERSHIPS
QUT Art Museum staff: Sarah Barron, Emma Cain, Sian Conway
Lamb, Katherine Dionysius, Vanessa Van Ooyen, Pia Robinson,
Kevin Wilson and Lilian Yong
Research partners: Dr Janice Rieger, QUT Creative Industries
Faculty and QUT Design Lab
Advisors: Richard Attwater, Gnanaharsha Beligatamulla, Dr
Alexander Black, Ann Bosserez, Sarah Boulton, Dr Marianella
Chamorro-Koc, Salvatore Fazio, Jack Fitzwalter, Dr Bree Hadley, Dr
Jasmien Herssens, Sarah Johnstone, Katyusha Methansia,
Catherine Parker, Annie Rolfe, Nicholas Sabulis, Dr Megan
Strickfaden, Anna Svensdotter, Gunawan Taduwidjaja, Corey Tinney,
Aymeric Vildieu, and Michael Whelan
External organisations: Vision Australia, Braille House, Brisbane Art
and Design Festival (BAD) through Museum of Brisbane
Photos: Kyle Zenchyson

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“It has been a truly wonderful experience for me and an eye-
opening journey into the world of art that I have not been able
to appreciate in many years” – Sarah Boulton

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Photo: Carl Warner

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Photo: Carl Warner

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Photo: Carl Warner

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“Just wanted to convey to you how much I enjoyed our session last
week, particularly the tactile sculpture, as I think you probably noticed,
I was quite impressed... It gave me a new perspective on a medium
that I probably would never have thought to look at before.” –
Descriptive tour participant

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Photo: Carl Warner

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CO-DESIGNED INTERVENTIONS AND PROGRAMS
• Tactile model and soundscape
• Three audio description pods
• Simulation goggles and video
• Inclusive exhibition catalogue
• Public programs
• Descriptive tours
• Exhibition tours
• Drop in Maker Space
• Making visible workshops
Photo: Carl Warner

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DESCRIPTIVE TOURS PROCESS
• Orientation and mobility training with Vision Australia at QUT and within
QUT Art Museum
• Researched and consulted advisors and industry
• Tested artworks to touch
• Wrote detailed tour notes, including artwork descriptions and orientation
explanations
• Ran a trail Descriptive tour
• Tours co-facilitated by Sarah Barron and Sarah Boulton
Photos: Kyle Zenchyson and Anneke Bosserez

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DESCRIPTIVE TOURS FORMAT
1 hour duration
1 – 8 people per tour
Total of 4 – 5 artworks
Audible component: All artworks audibly
described, 1 soundscape, 1 poem, and 3
audio description pods
Tactile component: 1 – 2 artworks touched,
in addition to works made by visitors in the
Maker space and the tactile interpretation of
an artwork
Photo: Thomas Oliver

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Co-created tactile interpretation, along with a sonic
interpretation by Aymeric Vildieu, of Catherine Parker’s
painting, Present portal 2017, acrylic on canvas, 96 x
120CM, QUT Art Collection, purchased 2017
Photos: Thomas Oliver (left), Carl Warner (right)

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Photo: Carl Warner

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MAKER SPACE
In the Maker space, you were invited
to access resources and reading
material and make your own tactile
artwork. You could take your artwork
home with you or display it on the
hexagon panels along the wall for
others to experience.
Photo: Carl Warner

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Photo: Carl Warner

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MAKING VISIBLE WORKSHOP
How do you experience art? You may think that you
look at art with your eyes only, yet you experience art
with all of your senses.
Xxx
Xx
x
Photo: Thomas Oliver

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The differences between seeing with your eyes and
seeing through touch when experiencing visual art
 Sight is passive while touch is dynamic
 Sight is instantaneous while touch is sequential and
requires more time
 Sight can take in complicated ideas while touch
needs to be simple
 Touch involves using your body and your emotions

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Three steps to create art through touch based on
something visual
Editing: choose one thing that you would like to
communicate about the original artwork and limit
information by reducing clutter
Transferal: take out purely visual elements and look for
elements that would be interesting to touch
Production: create a small piece of art focused on touch

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Artwork (left) Interpretation of Avoiding and courting collision (detail) by two Year 7 students,
Artwork (right) Deborah Mansfield Avoiding and courting collision 2014, photo tapestry, QUT Art
Collection, purchased 2014
Photos (right): Carl Warner

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Artwork (left) Interpretation of Untitled #1391 by Year 12 student,
Artwork (right) Louise Hearman Untitled #1391 2016, digital print on rag paper, 91 x 91CM, QUT
Art Collection, donated 2018

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Artwork (left) Interpretation of Walking through the clearfells by Year 7 student,
Artwork (right) Raquel Ormella Walking through clearfells (video still) 2009, two chanel video, 22 mins. Performers:
Raquel Ormella and Joe Shemish., Editor: Abigail Moncrieff, cinematographer: Joe Shemish, QUT Art Collection,
Donated under the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2018
Photo (right): Carl Warner

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OUTCOMES
Increased awareness and commitment to the ongoing
consideration and implementation of inclusive
exhibition design and programs, including continuing
the Descriptive tours for all exhibitions
New and ongoing partnerships and connections
New audiences, particularly people with low vision or
who are blind
Development of a model to create a unique tactile
interpretation of an artwork
Documentation and sharing of processes
Sarah Boulton continuing to co-facilitate tours
Realisation that inclusive design benefits everyone

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RESOURCES
Vis-ability: Artworks from the QUT Art Collection catalogue:
http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/whats-on/2019/vis-ability.php
Making visible workshop resource:
http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/learn/2019/making-visible.php
Hadley, B., & McDonald, D. (2018). The Routledge Handbook of Disability Arts,
Culture, and Media. Milton: Routledge.
Strickfaden, M. & Vildieu, A. (2014) On the quest for better communication through
tactile images. Journal of Aesthetic Education (JAE). 48(2) 105-122.

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CONTACT
QUT Art Museum
artmuseum@qut.edu.au | 07 3138 5370
2 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4001
Sarah Barron, Public Programs Officer
QUT Art Museum and William Robinson Gallery
sarah.barron@qut.edu.au | 07 3138 1384
Thank you
Photo: Thomas Oliver