The first exhibition hall for people with visual impairment was unveiled at the National Art Gallery Square 500. The exposition displayed at Square 500 is named Touch the Gallery. The project was fulfilled with the assistance of Grafia foundation. The exhibition displays paintings of famous Bulgarian artists from the permanent exhibition of Square 500 adapted to tactile graphics. Thus, people with visual impairment are able to get acquainted with the art presented there. Children from Louis Braille High School for Pupils with Visual Impairment felt those works of art with their finger-tips. The exhibition includes a self-portrait of famous Bulgarian icon painter Zahari Zograf, Rachenitsa- a famous painting of Professor Ivan Mrkvicka, Ivan Angelov's painting Zhutva v Chepinsko, Erma River by the Town of Tran by Nikola Petrov, as well as three of the gallery's most valuable sculptures: Mother and Child by Kiril Shivarov, Spirit and Matter by Andrey Nikolov and Mother by Ivan Lazarov, Director of the National Art Gallery Slava Ivanova told Radio Bulgaria and added:

“The tactile paintings allow people with visual impairment to distinguish the works of art with their finger-tips. Besides, we added audio files to our projects. Small audio players provide information in Bulgarian and English about the authors of the paintings, the names of their works and the period when those paintings were created.”

How the idea about that exhibition was born and is it difficult to adapt paintings to the needs of people with visual impairment? Here is what founder of Grafia foundation Alberto Staikov told Radio Bulgaria:

“Despite the existence of the Union of Visually Impaired People in Bulgaria, no one has realized that art is also made for visually-impaired people. Human spirit and intellect feed on art, just like human body does with food. Thus, we enrich our experience and spirituality. I did not find any difficulties reproducing those paintings. First I took photos of those works of art and then adapted them and printed them on a special paper, which went under special heat treatment. Finally, each work was approved by consultant, because people with visual impairment have different sensations. ”

Alberto Staikov mentions about problems related to the manufacture of tactile maps. In his view, they should be made under a single standard, just like the Braille Alphabet. Thus, people studying in Sofia, Plovdiv or Varna would not have difficulties reading those maps. Alberto has other ideas, too:

“I want to make a cinema for people with visual impairment, like the cinema for deaf-mute people. For the purpose, we have to add sound description to the scenes. Thus, visually- impaired people would be able to “see” what is on the cinema screen. I am also planning to attach audiograms to some popular monuments such as the statue of Slaveykovs Father and Son on Slaveykov Square downtown Sofia. Thus, people with visual impairment will be able to receive information about given monuments. Of course, my project can't cover all monuments, because some of them are too big.”

However, such project should allow all people with visual impairment to feel given works of art when they come into contact with them. Here is what one of the children who attended the exhibition at Square 500 told Radio Bulgaria:

“The exhibition was made perfectly. I was not expecting such a positive effect, because that event is held for the first time. Of course, I would like to get acquainted with even more paintings in future exhibitions. I hope to visit exhibitions of other popular works of art and be able to express my opinion about them. We should support the people behind that initiative, because we have the opportunity to experience something new.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov