Chinese Name: 臺灣非視覺美學教育協會
Establishment: 2014
Founder: Chao Hsin-yi (趙欣怡)
Website: http://www.tabva.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tabva2014/?locale=zh_TW
Did You Know That…?
The Taiwan Art Beyond Vision Association is dedicated to promoting non-visual art education and creating an inclusive art learning environment for visually impaired individuals. The association introduce different elements and concepts, such as color, line, form, texture, and space, to aid their students in creating art using senses other than vision, fostering a multifaceted art experience.
In 2014, Chao Hsin-yi founded the Taiwan Art Beyond Vision Association to develop art education programs for visually impaired individuals, which include research and performances. As an artist committed to multi-sensory creation, she began studying non-visual art methodologies and developed art courses for visually impaired students, integrating interdisciplinary knowledge from various fields such as visual arts, architecture, and cognitive psychology. The association has been invited to domestic and international museums, schools, and charity organizations to deliver seminars and organize workshops, spreading their ideals of art accessibility for people with disabilities.
Teaching visually impaired students requires professional guidance and specialized tools, including custom-made touch boards and 3D printers, as well as skills such as spatial orientation and audio description. Audio description plays a vital role by converting visual information into audio, aiding the creator in understanding their creation. Additionally, 3D printing provides the creator with tactile models that they can further color and develop.
Inspired by the accessibility of non-visual-based aesthetics, Chao Hsin-yi began experimenting with collaborative classrooms by inviting volunteers to partner with visually impaired students. In these classrooms, the volunteers learn audio description techniques to guide the students, empowering them to boldly create their artwork. The association’s initiatives in leading collaborative classrooms have successfully broken the boundaries of visual art, incorporating other sensory elements such as hearing, touch, smell, taste, and body movement to create rich artistic experiences. This approach fosters greater inclusivity within the broader society.
(Image: Taiwan Art Beyond Vision Association)