A new exhibition in Fredericton called 'Touch: A Tactile Exhibition' launched at the George Fry Gallery, inviting visitors to physically touch the artworks. Organized in collaboration with Craft NB and the CNIB Foundation, the show features works by twelve professional craft artists designed with input from CNIB to be accessible to people with varying degrees of vision, emphasizing high-contrast colors and tactile engagement.
This exhibition matters because it challenges the traditional gallery rule of 'do not touch,' centering accessibility and inclusion for blind and low-vision audiences. By rethinking how art is experienced, it opens doors for people who have been excluded from conventional visual art spaces and encourages a broader conversation about sensory engagement in museums and galleries.