I was pleased to join a guided tour with audio description for blind and visually impaired visitors at The National Museum, hosted by Ecura BPA (website).

We walked through the museum with a guide who described the history and background of the artworks, including sculptures and paintings. To better understand the experience, I wore dark sunglasses and occasionally closed my eyes, attempting to place myself in the position of a visually impaired person.
 
We touched replicas, which made it easier for us to understand shapes and textures. I learned a great deal from the visually impaired participants, especially by observing how they use their hands to perceive artworks and by listening to the unique perspectives they shared.

Our first "touching" experience was actually the stone walls. By scanning them with my hands, I noticed that each block has a different texture, and some have cracks. As a sighted person, it was fascinating to focus on micro-details I would normally pass by, and it made me realise how rarely I pay close attention to my surroundings.

Throughout the experience, by trying not to rely on sight, I began to “see” different points of view, and this helped my artistic research, which focuses on stimulating audiences’ senses and inclusion.