The “World Unseen” exhibition has been previously showcased in Croatia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Germany, and the UK, promoting inclusion and accessibility in art around the globe.
It is a photographic experience accessible to both visually impaired and fully sighted individuals, now open at the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History in Bucharest.
Sighted attendees can use special glasses simulating six of the most common visual impairments to better understand the perspective of those living with conditions such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, for instance.
Of over 2.2 billion people living with some form of visual impairment all over the globe, 84,635 of those are in Romania.
The exhibition showcases 12 impressive photos taken by internationally renowned photographers and Canon ambassadors from around the world, including: South African photojournalist Brent Stirton, renowned Brazilian photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado, Slovenian sports photographer Samo Vidic, Berlin-based fashion photographer Heidi Rondak, National Geographic photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen (two-time Pulitzer Prize winner), and Rares Besliu, reports Agerpres.
Using Canon’s elevated printing technology, this innovative approach centered around a series of emotive images taken by world-renowned photographers, teamed with elevated prints, audio descriptions, soundscapes and braille offers visitors a unique tactile experience, allowing them to deeply connect with the powerful images and the moving stories behind them, transforming the 12 photos taken by Canon ambassadors and photographers into tangible stories, the organizers said.
“At Canon, we are actively engaged in making art more accessible, using technology to develop new ways for people to create and experience art and culture. Photography is an incredibly powerful means of communication that can stimulate the imagination, and we want this experience to be accessible to everyone. World Unseen was created with blind and visually impaired people in mind, in an attempt to share the images and the stories behind them in a completely new way. World Unseen is more than a photography exhibition, it is a manifesto for inclusion, a demonstration of how art can become accessible to everyone. We are delighted to collaborate with the Antipa Museum to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to Romania and invite every visitor to discover photography in a new way,” said Canon Romania CEO Petronius Secareanu.
