Observe World Sight Day by experiencing the poetry of six local residents who want to remind us that art is for everyone. The exhibit runs from October 10 to October 25 at Chinatown Branch and from November 5 to November 20 at Albany Park Branch.
Curators' Statement
Exhibit curators Iliana Genkova and Julie Morley shared the following statement.
Poetry is art. Art is a sensuous experience that belongs to everyone. This exhibit, like a good writing, aims to deliver poetry to all of our senses.
This exhibit aims to bring awareness to the limitations vision-impaired people face, and to let us experience poetry with all of our senses. It presents six poems written by Chicago residents. Each poem is displayed in print and Braille and is accompanied by a scent, with a sound recording available by scanning a QR code with your smart device.
The exhibit was inspired by my working with Peter Rayner, a blind by birth Australian scientist, and more recently, taking a memoir writing and teaching class led by visually impaired teacher Beth Finke, an award-winning author of two memoirs.
To learn more about the visually impaired community and services in Chicago, please visit the Blind Service Association and The Chicago Lighthouse.
Many thanks to Beth Finke for her invaluable input on the exhibit content. Thanks to Ryan Baker for the audio setup, and to the authors for their contributions.
