Hands-on Art (HOA) is a unique program inspired by CWAJ’s commitment to the visually impaired community. It was first launched in 1996 under the proposal and guidance of Julia Cassim* with the idea of offering opportunities for people with visual impairments to enjoy the prints exhibited in the CWAJ Print Show. Since then, we choose several prints every year and make them into tactile prints called“Raised Images”with the cooperation of the Japan Braille Library. As the number of raised images is limited, volunteer guides also take visually impaired visitors on tours of the entire Print Show so they can enjoy many works through descriptions.

Last year, for the first time in three years, we were very fortunate to hold the in-person HOA program which was very well received.

In the past, we have produced monochrome raised images for HOA using a method called stereo copying, but this year we are creating color raised images using a newly developed technology. We chose the prints to be made into raised images for their distinct shapes, different techniques and narrative qualities that could spark imagination for both guides and visitors.

With the expertise of an educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, digital data to make raised image is created from the original print via the PC, and edited in a way that allows HOA visitors to clearly feel the lines and surfaces when touching the work. Preservation of the artists’ concepts and the needs of the visually impaired are carefully considered in the process of preparing the raised images. The draft of the raised image is then checked by a visually impaired HOA member, and after several revisions, the raised image is finalized. Lastly, the original image is printed on a special paper with an inkjet printer on which the data for the raised image are added before being raised by a special printer.