HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — At most art exhibits, there’s one rule visitors know well: Look, but don’t touch.
At Northern Kentucky University, that rule is being turned upside down.
“Tactile Revolutions: An Exhibit of Art Meant to be Touched” is inviting visitors to do exactly that — touch, feel and explore the artwork.
WATCH: NKU’s ‘Tactile Revolutions’ lets visitors experience art through touch
The interactive exhibit is a partnership between NKU and Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired. It features Braille, tactile designs, 3D models and other accessible artwork designed to be experienced through touch.
The exhibit includes work created by Clovernook as well as pieces made by NKU students through the university’s Build a Better Book course.
For the students, creating artwork meant to be touched requires thinking about art in a different way. Texture, shape, size and Braille can all be used to communicate information and tell a story.
And while the exhibit was designed with people who are blind or visually impaired in mind, the experience is meant for everyone.
The goal is to show how accessible design can create new ways for people of all ages and abilities to experience art.
The exhibit also highlights the ongoing partnership between NKU and Clovernook. That collaboration gives students an opportunity to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to projects created for a real-world audience.
Visitors can explore “Tactile Revolutions” through Sept. 17 at NKU’s Fine Arts Center in Highland Heights.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The galleries are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
