India's First Tactile Art Museum in Rajasthan Makes Art Accessible to Visually Impaired People

Back at the start of 2024, St+art India Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that works on art projects in public spaces and Asian Paints, the paint and coating manufacturing company, came together for an initiative that provided one-of-a-kind experience for visually impaired people. They built India's first tactile art museum in Rajasthan to introduce tactile art to blind and visually impaired children. The project titled ‘Project Sparsh’ includes an indoor mural, outdoor mural, and art workshop with braille and tactile features. 

Back Story 

St +art’s exploration began with the insight that tactile experiences, such as those provided by Braille, have the potential to activate the brain’s visual cortex, allowing individuals without sight to form mental images and connect with stories and symbols traditionally conveyed through visual means. This very concept of tangible art gave rise to 'Project Sparsh', an initiative that aims to bring the magic of art to visually impaired children, letting them experience it from an entirely new perspective.

The Project 

The organisation chose the Rajasthan Netraheen Kalyan Sangh, a school in Jaipur that has been transforming the lives of visually impaired students for more than five decades to create a sensation of tactility. For this purpose, the 'Royale Play' range of textured paints from Asian Paints was used, which turns simple surfaces into tactile language that the students can touch and feel.

The two separate but connected areas of this project—an interior tactile museum and an outdoor mural—are intended to inspire, inform, and stimulate the imaginations that might arise from touch and spatial interaction.

Indoor Museum

The indoor museum features art and culture from Rajasthan, including Blue Pottery, Phad Paintings, Bandhej and Bagru Block Prints. There is a mural which is integrated with braille to help students understand the art.

Outdoor Mural

The outdoor facade, rendered in black and white, not only responds to the specific needs of the visually impaired community but also stands as a statement on the importance of designing accessible spaces that are sensitive towards everyone. The mural uses a textile technique called Bandhej, which is exclusive to Rajasthan, and braille to create a unique experience.

Art Workshop

The workshop displays artworks created by students during the Sparsh initiative.