Breaking Barriers

‘Breaking Barriers’ a commission for Shape Arts and Kings College London, is a tactile wall vinyl that shows a close-up portrait of a visually impaired female in midnight blue. Layered over the top running from left to right in bright red are quotes, by other blind and partially sighted people. The image is 1.5 meters wide by 2.5 meters long and is flush to the wall. The large portrait is imposing as the female stares out at the viewer with big wide eyes, refusing to be ignored. The layered quotes are the voices of many partially sighted and blind individuals, expressing their positive and negative lived experiences. I felt this layered approach was important to this piece, an opportunity for visually impaired individuals to be seen, heard and show how diverse our experiences are, the barriers faced and how these perspectives inspire our art. The portrait and quotes feel like textured wallpaper to the touch, the blank areas are smooth. I combined silkscreen print and tactile vinyl to create this piece so that my work could be engaged through sight and touch.