ANABELL WEINEN

Bocholt, Germany

Painting, printing, embossed printing

Workshop Space: Stadtmuseum

Title: Please touch!

Embossed printing, installation

Photo © Joop van Reeken

“Please touch!” – this is how Anabell Weinen’s conceptualisation begins: “I want to make an existing work of art ‘tangible’ for people with visual impairments or who are blind.” In order to create a direct reference to the city of Bocholt, the artist from Bocholt decided on a picture by the engraver Israhel van Meckenem the Younger (1440/1445 – 1503): “The Evil Woman”.

In co-operation with Jochen Dargegen (chairman of the Blind and Visually Impaired Association Borken/Bocholt), the Bocholt artist created a detailed description of the picture to give the visually impaired “viewer” a good idea of the work of art. “This collaboration opened up a whole new perspective for me and enabled an interesting and multifaceted exchange between visually impaired and sighted people.”

Anabell Weinen wanted the Braille image to include and show everything that is depicted on the original: “Words, sentences and/or snippets of sentences are placed on the surface where the things described were painted on the original image.” She used a special Braille typewriter for the writing. Visitors could look over the artist’s shoulder during this process and also touch the first finished Braille foils.

The result is a multi-level, completely white Braille sculpture made of wooden blocks, which Anabell Weinen developed and built together with a carpenter friend. Blocks of different heights join together, with their upper surfaces covered with the Braille foil: “The shadows cast by the Braille dots and the pedestals also create an exciting image for the sighted viewer,” is how the artist explains her work of art.