Are you one of the millions of sighted visitors who’ll visit a world class institution this year only to find yourself suffering from museum fatigue a couple of hours in? You know, that moment when all the paintings start to look alike, still lifes, crucifixions, and teenage noblewomen swimming before your eyes?
If so, may we recommend closing your eyes and limiting yourself to an in-depth study of a half dozen paintings? That’s the number of works on display in Hoy toca el Prado, Madrid’s Museo del Prado’s landmark exhibition aimed at people with visual disabilities.
The Louvre, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and London’s National Gallery all have touch-friendly programming that allows blind visitors to experience sculptural works with their hands. The Prado’s initiative is unique in that it applies 3D printing techniques to reproductions of painted.
Certain aspects of each painting, including textures, were selected for showcasing in the 3D reproductions. A chemical process involving ultraviolet light and special ink resulted in a few millimeters of added volume. The reproductions retained the originals’ color, for visually impaired visitors with the ability to perceive it.
The exhibit’s curator reported that one of the first blind visitors to come through wanted to know the subject’s eye color. He found that he could not confidently respond without double checking.
source : http://www.openculture.com/