The Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) is presenting the exhibition 'Don’t mind if I do,' a project conceived by artist Finnegan Shannon. The show features a 25-foot conveyor belt loop that displays 30 small, touchable sculptures by eight artists, allowing visitors to view the art from comfortable seating without needing to move through the gallery. The project originated from a 2019 residency at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and has toured to several university galleries before arriving at Smith.
The exhibition is a significant intervention in rethinking accessibility and inclusion in museum spaces. It prioritizes audience experience, particularly for disabled visitors, by physically bringing art to the viewer and incorporating touchable objects. The show exemplifies a growing movement to center disability art and perspectives, challenging traditional exhibition formats and advocating for a cultural shift in how institutions approach accessibility.