Georgina
April 26, 2008 10:31 PM
Sean Pearce
A new art exhibition opening this weekend is shedding new light on the world of visually and hearing impaired individuals from around the globe.
The new exhibit, entitled Perceptions of Light, will be at the Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery until May 25.
The exhibit’s creator, Georgina resident and photographer Natalie Schönfeld Howard, said the purpose of her photo essay exhibition is to demonstrate the realities of individuals who are deafblind.
“My body of work for this exhibit is about people who are legally deaf and blind,” she said. “It focuses on people who are from five countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, Nepal, Israel and France.”
Another exhibit by Ms Howard, entitled, Legally Blind, will also be featured during the exhibit’s run.
It explores the varying degrees of visual impairment experienced by a number of various individuals through Ms Howard’s photographs.
“There are two images in that one,” Ms Howard said. “One is of the way we can see, while the second is an image of the way the person sees. Cataracts, tunnel vision and other conditions are all degrees of blindness that are explored through the two bodies of work.”
The pair of photographic documentaries evolved out of some work done during her term of studies at Ryerson University, Ms Howard said. She was initially exploring how hearing impaired individuals communicated without the use of words.
The exhibit will be at the Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery at 149 High Street in Sutton until May 25. An opening reception will be held today, at which visitors can meet Ms Howard and view her work. It runs from 1 until 3 p.m.
For more information, visit natalieschonfeld.com or gacag.com