[Art_beyond_sight_theory_and_research] dance, sculpture, Qatar, Hounslow exhibit

[Lisa Yayla]

The Times of India
Sunday, August 27, 2006

Blind artist carves a niche for himself

BALANGIR: Come festival season and it is bonanza time for him as people line up at his little workshop in Balangir district of Orissa to buy idols. It is in these four months of festivities, beginning with Ganesh Puja, that he is busy giving final touches to the idols of gods that sell like hot cakes. Meet Bhagaban Behera, a blind artist who, despite his disability, has carved a niche for himself in the art of idol-making. 

Destiny may have rendered him visually impaired yet his dexterity in making clay and concrete statues has not waned, it has rather improved. 

"There are many shops that sell idols in Balangir. But none match the quality of those made by Behera. His works have the touch of a genius. He is special,"said a customer Madhulika Mahapatra. 

Behera (58), who has been making statues for the last 36 years, had a tough time reconciling with his disability. 

He lost his eyesight five years ago due to the alleged negligence of a doctor. But Behera did not give up and fought bravely to become an expert in making idols. 

"Despite being blind, I continued working and soon realised that my disability was not a barrier. The artist in me gave the strength and that is why I am here today,"he said. 


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1929585.cms


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Gulf Times, Qatar
Monday, August 28, 2006

DOHA DRIVE: Al Noor Institute's art event for "Atfaluna-Our Children" campaign

Published: Monday, 28 August, 2006, 11:49 AM Doha Time 
 
DOHA DRIVE: Children from Doha's Al Noor Institute for the Visually impaired taking part in a painting event at the City Center yesterday at the launch of 'Atfaluna-Our Children' campaign, being run by Reach Out to Asia (Rota) and Al Jazeera Children's Channel, to raise funds for the education of war-torn Lebanese and Palestinian children. The campaign runs until March next year.  Picture: Thajuddin
 

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.aspx?cu_no=2&item_no=104851&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56


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Richmond & Twickenham Times (UK)
Friday, August 25, 2006

Blind art fans can get their hands on exhibits

By Stephen Abbott

Art gallery visitors are usually discouraged from handling valuable works by famous British artists in case they cause thousands of pounds of damage.

But, at a new specially-adapted exhibition at the Watermans Arts Centre in Brentford, blind and partially-sighted Hounslow residents are being told to touch, feel and grab works by artists such as Damien Hirst and Anish Kapoor to help them enjoy the event.

The Raised Awareness exhibition features touching tables in front of famous paintings where raised copies of the images can be felt by those with impaired vision.

Large print texts, braille panels and audio recordings will also help to make the event accessible and enjoyable for all.

Bill Woodrow, who created the project for Tate Modern in 2003, said: "This is an exhibition for all people to experience. For the first time blind and partially sighted people will have access to original drawings by some of the country's best artists. For sighted people it will give something of the experience of the complexity of using another sense that you do not usually use with art, touch.

"When you go round the gallery most people want to touch things. This is an opportunity to do that and to compare their sight with their touch."

Raised Awareness has been brought to the borough by the Hounslow Association for the Blind, in partnership with Watermans.

It will take place between September 5 and October 9.

Blind visitors will be able to navigate the exhibition on their own, although touch tour guides will be on hand to help anyone who wishes to be escorted .

Hands-on art workshops for visually impaired or sighted adults and children will take place at the Watermans on September 19 and 28 between 11am and 1pm.

To book a free place at one of the workshops, call the Watermans box office on 020 8232 1010.

10:53am Friday 25th August 2006



http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/newsbct/display.var.894682.0.blind_art_fans_can_get_their_hands_on_exhibits.php

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keepMEcurrent.com, Maine, USA
Friday, September 01, 2006

Blind dancer exercises vision

By Cynthia Matthews, Contributing writer

BIDDEFORD (Sep 1): Located at 285 Main St. in Biddeford, the Eternity Dance Center is unique in many ways. 

It is a studio where movement and dress are kept modest - the dress code stresses no spaghetti strap tank tops or leotards, no belly shirts and no short shorts. 

Secondly, the students dance to contemporary Christian and instrumental music, striving for a non-provocative environment that points to Christ. 

And thirdly, the owner and principal dance instructor is legally blind.

Crystal Plummer, the owner of Eternity Dance Center, grew up in Vermont. There, school programs focused on the arts. The school arts program made the arts part of a rigorous curriculum, including the study of dance history, choreography and techniques, as well as studying many different forms of dance, from ballet to jazz to African, etc. Plummer began as an avid gymnast, but shifted to dance in junior high and high school.

Plummer belonged to the "elite" dance company, which worked extensively after school and performed a great deal. And yet, one of her high school teachers told Plummer she'd never make it in dance.

Plummer suffers from an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP. RP causes progressive vision loss. It is a degenerative disease that affects the retina and will eventually cause her to lose her sight completely. 

Its effects began in school. Plummer had no night vision, so had difficulty backstage during performances. Now, Plummer has no peripheral vision. She has a unique pair of cardboard glasses at the studio that look a bit like 3D glasses to show others what she sees: like looking through two small little holes. 

But losing her sight didn't keep Plummer from dancing. Shortly after graduating from high school, one of her junior high teachers asked her to come back and teach there, which she did.

Plummer came to Maine in 1998 and took classes at local places in Southern Maine. But she found that most of these places were for beginners and she wanted something more. She also was amazed at the cost. "It broke my heart when I realized how much it cost for kids to dance," said Plummer. "I wanted to make dance affordable." So in February 2002, the Eternity Dance Center opened.

Classes are offered in ballet, baton, clogging, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern and tap, to name a few. Plummer teaches most of the classes and includes the dance history and techniques that she herself has learned, as well as choreography. 

As her sight goes, Plummer has lost some depth perception which affects her balance, but she has had to find other ways to demonstrate. Plummer has hired some other instructors, but also has some students that have been raised in the studio who will be teaching with her this year. And every year, the center offers a professional workshop with a master dancer who works with the students and is able to provide Plummer with master classes for her own enrichment. 

This year, the center will take a group to New York City in the spring for an event called, "Project Dance." 

Believing that "everyone who wants to dance can," the center takes students of all ages, abilities and financial situations. They also take people with disabilities. "We'll do whatever it takes so you can be part of the class," Plummer said. 

She is able to offer all this very inexpensively. "It's not about the money," says Plummer. "We're as real and as serious as everyone else. God always provides. We're always able to pay the bills." 

Though the center is Christ centered, there are people from a lot of different denominations and faiths - as well as those with no faith - who come to dance. Volunteers help to keep the popular, welcoming and busy place running.

Registrations for this year began last week, with about 140 students signed up for classes; two classes are already full. For more information, contact Plummer at Eternity Dance Center, 590-5243, or visit the website, 

www.eternitydancecenter.info.

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Community/story.cfm?storyID=23879

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