[TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19

Mon Apr 6 17:55:32 UTC 2020

Colleagues,

Here is current guidance

isolate objects for ~72 hours if you think they may have been exposed
to the virus and don't apply any chemical treatment.

www.connectingtocollections.org
For more details, search for the free webinar Collections Care in the
Age of COVID-19"
Note that high touch points such as light switches and door handles
can be disinfected. I'd consider tactile art a "high touch point".
Research on this topic is ongoing, and I will monitor the conservation
community. I'm trying to expand my network there.

Best,
Cheryl

On 3/13/20, mattfgs via TAGS <tags at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Noel,I've always wanted a project which needed the services of a ceramic
> print. As much as I advocate for 3D printing, it shouldn't be regarded as
> the end-all of making tactile objects. By themselves, 3D prints mostly have
> one texture. They need a bit of post-production texturing to make them
> interesting and accurate. When scaling up or down I'm careful to add a scale
> marker of some kind so the user can relate to the actual size of the
> item. Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device
> -------- Original message --------From: Noel Runyan
> <noel at personaldatasystems.com> Date: 3/13/20  12:37 PM  (GMT-07:00) To:
> mattfgs <mattfgs at netzero.net>, Tactile Art and Tactile Graphics Specialist
> list <tags at nfbnet.org> Subject: Re: [TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19
> Matt,
> Yes, and 3D printing systems would allow some replicas to be scaled up or
> down in size to make items easier to appreciate by touch.
> Cheers,
> Noel
> At 07:08 AM 3/13/2020, mattfgs wrote:
> Very good points Noel. Sounds
> like a good case for museums to allow reproductions to be made. With high
> resolution scanners and 3D printers that can use multiple materials at
> once we can make very close facsimiles of most any item. Adding to the
> prints post production can give even more materials and details for
> visual and tactile realism.
>
> Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Noel Runyan via TAGS <tags at nfbnet.org>
> Date: 3/12/20 10:15 PM (GMT-07:00)
> To: Tactile Art and Tactile Graphics Specialist list
> <tags at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Noel Runyan <noel at personaldatasystems.com>
> Subject: Re: [TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19
> A cousin of mine bought an expensive figurine bust called
> "Reflections".  It is cast in high quality poly carbonate,
> so the artist recommended that people avoid touching its surface with
> bare hands.  Also, whenever the piece was unavoidably touched with
> bare hands, the surface needed to be carefully cleaned soon after, since
> the oils and other chemicals in finger prints could react with and damage
> the extremely clear surface.  So, even when we think our hands are
> sanitized, they may leave touched surfaces contaminated with biologically
> inert but still damaging finger print materials.
> Using hand sanitizer wipes to clean hands before touching artworks sounds
> like it might be a useful technique.  However, "washing"
> your hands with alcohol or other sanitizing liquids such as Purell, may
> limit spreading germs, but it doesn't mean that your fingers will not be
> leaving possibly damaging finger prints.  In fact, handling art
> while your hands are still a bit moist from the sanitizing fluids may add
> to the threat of damaging the artwork.  Some hand sanitizers also
> attempt to avoid drying out the user's hands by adding oils or other
> moisturizers; and of course, those may be yet another threat to the
> artwork.
> Cordially,
> Noel
> -
> Noel H. Runyan
> Email: Noel at PersonalDataSystems.com
> Phone: 1-408-866-7564
> -
> At 08:26 PM 3/12/2020, you wrote:
> I've been interested in this
> subject for quite a while. But I'd concentrate on human cleanliness more
> than cleaning the art.
> When I designed the pitch-black puzzle room in 2018, I realized that
> there wouldn't be nearly enough time to clean all the interactions
> between groups of people. Instead, the story of ridding our hands of
> human germs before touching "alien" objects was added to the
> pre-theater narrative and everyone was given antibac hand wipes before
> entering.
> The people who commented about that part appreciated that they would be
> touching clean objects.
> We're the ones with the germs, let's make hand sanitizing part of the
> process, preferably before touching which would keep the art free from
> most oils as well as us from germs.
>
> Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Cheryl Fogle-Hatch via TAGS <tags at nfbnet.org>
> Date: 3/12/20 6:47 PM (GMT-07:00)
> To: Tactile Art and Tactile Graphics Specialist list
> <tags at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Cheryl Fogle-Hatch <c.k.fogle at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19
>
> To add to the discussion , Here is the first mention of gloves that
> I've seen regarding the current situation. The quote below refers to
> tours of a historic site, and, I think, to health rather than
> tactile
> access.
> "Docents, as well as tour participants, will be offered
> disposable
> gloves, as conservation rules would prevent complete sanitation of
> historic wooden surfaces"
> On 3/12/20, Noel Runyan via TAGS <tags at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Yes, and several museums allow touching only with thin plastic
>> gloves, which, for many folks works better than rubber surgical
>> gloves.  Thin plastic gloves can slide over surfaces more
> smoothly,
>> without as much drag or stiction as surgical Latex or Nitrile
> rubber
>> gloves.
>> In my own work in my lapidary shop, grinding and cutting rocks,
> I
>> prefer to use Nitrile gloves, as they last longer than Latex
> gloves.
>> However, and especially with surgical gloves, I find it
> extremely
>> difficult to read braille while wearing rubber gloves.
>> Considering the issues of public health, news reports are
> indicating
>> that gloves do not seem to do a lot to prevent spreading of germs,
> as
>> the germs can survive for hours on common surfaces and be moved
> from
>> surface to surface (including to  your mouth or eyes).
>> It can be easier to effectively decontaminate gloved hands,
> compared
>> to decontaminating bare skin and fingernails of your hands.
>> Public health officials are now recommending decontaminating
> with
>> either rubbing alcohol (60 percent or stronger), soap and water,
> or
>> weak solutions of bleach.
>> For touchable art decontamination, these decontamination
> solutions
>> could cause damage to the art surfaces and some adhesives or
> other
>> underlaying materials.
>> When decontamination with these solutions is not possible,
> exposure
>> with UV lights or direct sunlight might be helpful.  Note,
> they
>> stress direct sunlight, as sunlight coming through glass windows
> has
>> had most of its ultraviolet light blocked.
>> It would be nice, if we could get more advice from art museum
> staff
>> folks who are more familiar with art decontamination and
> protection
>> procedures.
>> Cordially,
>> Noel
>>
>>
>> At 10:15 AM 3/12/2020, Deborah Kent Stein via TAGS wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In the museums that permit blind visitors to touch artworks not
> generally
>>>available for tactile exploration by the public, it is standard
> practice
>>> for
>>>the blind visitor to wear surgical gloves. Although wearing
> gloves
>>> somewhat
>>>detracts from the tactile experience, it protects the art and
> also helps
>>>avoid the spread of germs. Wearing gloves is a simple precaution
> that can
>>> be
>>>taken with tactile exhibits during any outbreak of a contagious
> disease
>>> such
>>>as COVID-19.
>>>
>>>Debbie
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: TAGS [
>
> mailto:tags-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cheryl
>>> Fogle-Hatch
>>>via TAGS
>>>Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2020 11:49 AM
>>>To: Tactile Art and Tactile Graphics Specialist list
> <tags at nfbnet.org>
>>>Cc: Cheryl Fogle-Hatch <c.k.fogle at gmail.com>;
> mkolitsky at nextgenemedia.com
>>>Subject: Re: [TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19
>>>
>>>Hi Mike, Keri, and everyone
>>>
>>>An exhibit on universal design that I'm consulting for was
> postponed, and
>>>several Maryland museums have suspended public programs through
> mid April.
>>>I've been watching traffic on museum listservs, and so far, I
> haven't seen
>>>anything specific to tactile art--just general concerns about
> limiting
>>>hand-to-hand contact. I think we, as a community of tactile
> artists etc,
>>>need to step into the conversation so our voices are found when
> someone
>>>searches, as you did.
>>>
>>>To that end, I'm thinking of writing a text (800-1,000 word blog
> post
>>>linking to supporting documents if necessary).  This would
> discuss the
>>> need
>>>to balance tactile access with health concerns--covid19, and for
> anything
>>>else that will arise in future. I would offer to host a piece on
> my new
>>>website,
>
> https://museumsenses.org and I might also explore possibilities
>>>with my connections to get onto an established museum blog.
>>>
>>>Keeping in mind that this listserv is publicly archived and
> searchable,
>>>please write me offlist if you'd like to contribute ideas and
> resources,
>>>and/or review a draft.  To join a timely conversation, I'd
> like to get a
>>>post online around mid April as museums resume public
> programming. The
>>> post
>>>should serve as a conversation starter and propose solutions, and
> show
>>> that
>>>that the community of tactile artists and enthusiasts are
> thinking about
>>>these issues.
>>>
>>>Best Wishes,
>>>Cheryl
>>>
>>>On 3/12/20, Mike Kolitsky via TAGS <tags at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>>> > Hi everyone, I just received news that an art show in NYC
> to which I
>>> > had some tactile art works accepted for entry was delayed
> due to the
>>> > COVID-19 pandemic and the need to think about bringing
> large groups of
>>> > people together.  That led to my thinking about how
> one can make
>>> > tactile art so that it can be touched safely, i.e., that
> each touch is
>>> > on a sterile or cleaned surface.  Can tactile art be
> sprayed with a
>>> > lysol-like cleanser between touching episodes or can art be
> designed
>>> > to be touched with surgical gloves?  Can Braille be
> read with surgical
>>> > gloves on the reader's hands?  I did a quick search on
> "tactile art
>>> > and COVID-19" and found that the Exploratorium in San
> Francisco has
>>>temporarily closed the "Tactile Dome".
>>> > Any thoughts about how to make art or objects for public
> touching safe
>>> > from passage of COVID-19 from one person to another?
>>> >
>>> > Mike
>>> >
>>> > Michael A. Kolitsky, Ph.D.
>>> > CEO
>>> > nextgenEmedia
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, Ph.D.
>>>Archaeologist and Museum Professional
>>>(443) 939-8217
>>>c.k.fogle at gmail.com
>>>
>
> https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-fogle-hatch/8/224/538
>>>
>
> https://cherylfogle.academia.edu/
>>>
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>>
>
> --
> Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, Ph.D.
> Archaeologist and Museum Professional
> (443) 939-8217
> c.k.fogle at gmail.com
>
> https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-fogle-hatch/8/224/538
>
> https://cherylfogle.academia.edu/
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-- 
Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, Ph.D.
Archaeologist and Museum Professional
(443) 939-8217
c.k.fogle at gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-fogle-hatch/8/224/538
https://cherylfogle.academia.edu/