In Madrid, the exhibition "World Unseen" was inaugurated this Friday. The showcase highlights images from renowned photographers, many of whom have received awards such as the World Press Photo. The exhibition aims to make these photographs accessible to people with visual disabilities.
The ONCE headquarters, a Spanish organization supporting people with disabilities, will host the exhibition until Sunday. The photographs are printed in relief and are accompanied by audio descriptions and braille. Among the selected works are images from photographers such as Brent Stirton, awarded with the World Press Photo, and Sebastião Salgado, winner of the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts.
The images have been printed using Canon's "raised printing" technology, which adds relief and textures so that blind or visually impaired individuals can "see" the photos. Each image is accompanied by informational and descriptive text in braille, aiming to convey the power of the image to a wide audience, along with an immersive audio description.
Additionally, to raise awareness about visual issues, each image has been reproduced simulating the vision of people affected by conditions such as cataracts, early-stage glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other degenerative eye diseases. "It's wonderful; for the first time, I can get a sense of what a photo is like. It's an incredible experience," expressed Christian Sáinz, who has severe visual impairment and works at ONCE.
The general director of ONCE, Ángel Sánchez, commented that organizing a photography exhibition in "the house of the blind is a great paradox," but emphasized that these images convey words like solidarity, integration, inclusion, and interaction. Javier Tabernero, president of Canon in Spain and Portugal, highlighted that this initiative "breaks sensory barriers and opens the world of art" to people with visual disabilities, finally allowing them to "touch and feel" the photographs.
