The Concept
Multisensory Public Art for Clifton grows from the experiences of Lead Artist, Liz Richter, a former teacher at the Kentucky School for the Blind who lives in the Clifton neighborhood.
Liz inspired her students at the Kentucky School for the Blind.
They returned the favor.
Image Description: Liz Richter engages with two elementary age children in a classroom setting. On the table at which the children sit are colorful bowls and shallow cardboard boxes containing brushes, art materials, and the children’s art projects underway.
Public Art Should Welcome Blind Audiences
This is the seed Liz started with. Totally simple. Surprisingly radical. Realizing that almost all public artwork fails to consider audiences members who are blind, Liz opened the door for the Clifton neighborhood to re-imagine how public art works - for everyone. We’re still learning all the ways we can make public art that is as enjoyable and accessible to people who are blind as it is to people who are not blind, but we’ve come a long a way. Audio description, textured surfaces that make 2D imagery tactile, sound- and music-producing components integrated into the design, high-contrast visuals for those with some vision, kinetic interaction - even elements that generate pleasant aromas are among those we’re considering.
Three Energizing Ideas
Community-Based Public Art Means More
From the get-go, Liz knew she’d draw on her experience creating community-based murals, like the one on the Hikes Point Big Lots store. In January and February, supportive enthusiasm for the project was evident in two well-attended listening sessions with stakeholders in the Clifton neighborhood and Louisville blind community. Our knowledge of sensory accessibility, the neighborhood’s priorities, and who we should reach out to as resources grew enormously. Our listening effort continues with specific individuals and organizations. We look forward to keeping the channels of communication open on this website, on Clifton’s sidewalks, and across the city. Please consider joining our mailing list to make your voice heard.
Collaboration Can be a Method and a Message
This project was always going to be large scale, and we knew it would need collaborators. Liz has worked with volunteers before, but this time it is essential to elevate the contributions of people who are blind or visually impaired. Input from Kentucky School for the Blind students, blind residents of Clifton, and others living with blindness have informed the design process from the get-go. As we finalize the sensory accessible provisions to include, we’ll prioritize enlisting artists and craftspeople who are blind to help bring the art to life. We may have contributions from people who are not blind, but we aim to gather an inspiring team of collaborators who will prove that blind people already work as artists, skilled artisans, builders and makers in our city.
This Could Be the Start of Something Big
Our dream is for this project to be the pivot where Louisville public art turns to meet audiences that have been excluded for too long.
Not only people who are blind and visually impaired, but many others who sense or move differently, and who have powerful responses to public spaces or opportunities for interaction deserve to be considered in plans and designs for public art.