Beyond the Museum Gaze

Join Shubhasree Purkayasatha and Breanne Coelho from the MAP team for an immersive tactile walkthrough of VISIBLE/INVISIBLE: Representation of Women through the MAP Collection, and delve into the history and politics of touch in the museum space.

For centuries, museums have primarily emphasised sight over touch. This ocular-centric approach has shaped the way in which we engage with art, often sidelining the rich, sensory learning experiences that touch can provide. In this walkthrough, we will explore how this history has influenced our understanding of museum objects and their cultural significance, bringing to the fore tensions between touch and preservation in museum practices.

Closely examining the artworks on display, we’ll focus on the marks and traces left by the artists themselves—whether through brushstrokes, textures, or the materiality of their work. These tactile imprints offer valuable insights into the creative process, revealing the artist’s intent and craftsmanship in a way that goes beyond what can be seen with the eye alone.

Through the use of tactile models, we will engage in a more hands-on way, deepening our understanding of the artworks on display. Opening new avenues for learning, we reconsider the limits of how we interact with and learn from art, highlighting how touch can be a crucial tool in enriching our connection with the past.