The need to communicate is an inherent human need. Yet there are those of us whose attempts to communicate are hampered by our disabilities and we need to lean on other methods to augment our expressions. Art is an effort to reach out and express ourselves.
Recently over 50 students from Al Maktoom National Education Centre for the Visually Impaired Children participated in a tactile art class organized by Funkor Child Art.
The children were encouraged to touch and explore plants, flowers and toys and other objects. It was very moving to watch them eagerly hold out their small hands and excitedly touch and feel the objects in anticipation of the activities ahead.
Using ballpoint pens on special plastic sheets placed on silicon sheets helped produce protruding lines and raised surfaces. The children drew lines and circles that took the shapes of houses, faces and flowers etc., and were excited that they could touch and feel them too.
The children also expressed themselves by making objects out of clay, and dough. They put their hands to good use as they let their fingers run all over the dough to give it form and made faces, flowers and trees.
Respected ceramist Sheherzade Alam also joined them to create small baskets and spoons. This first time event was met with a lot of approval from the principal Rubina Anjum.
Funkor Art Centre is the brain child of Fauzia Minallah, she said she was amazed at what had emerged out of the effort of allowing children to experience art and express themselves. People with special needs have very few communication aids designed for their use. Tactile Art has the potential of bridging this communication gap by using the senses of touch and sight together and can be used as an additional method of communication.