Hoy toca el Prado (Touching the Prado) is an exhibition that gives the opportunity to visually impaired people to enjoy the works of masters like Leonardo Da Vinci, Francisco Goya and El Greco.
The exhibition featured six replicas of famous paintings that can be touched and appreciated by blind people, connecting them to art and its history. Created by the Durero Studios, the paintings were made out of high resolutions images. After a process of selecting textures and volumes that would allow the visitor to be guided through the paintings, they were then printed with special ink. A chemical treatment used to flattened the canvas’ surface allowed the edited image to later be printed on it, creating the reproduction of a famous painting that can be explored by touch.
Exhibitions like Hoy took el Prado are a great example of how art doesn’t discriminate its audience and even the art of painting can be perceived by people with visual impairment. Apart from touching the artwork, the visitors have also the chance to read the accompanying Braille text, listen to an audio guide and fully enjoy the experience of a museum visit.
Anna Randal for Art-Sheep
