[TAGS] Tactile art and COVID-19

[Deborah Kent Stein]

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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