The ‘World Unseen’ exhibition inaugurated at the ‘Nilde Iotti’ Library of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome. The revolutionary exhibition event, which makes photography accessible even to those with visual disabilities, will be open to visitors from 4 to 17 December, from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6.30pm. Conceived and organized by Canon, we read in a note, and sponsored by the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Italian Red Cross, the exhibition aims to encourage the elimination of sensory barriers and the democratization of visual art. In fact, it is thanks to the use of innovative tactile printing technology that blind and visually impaired people will have access to the power of images: the works of famous international photographers such as Aleksander Nordhal, Brent Stirton, Sebastião Salgado and Yagazie Emezi will be accompanied by tools that will allow you to immerse yourself in multiple worlds through relief prints, braille texts, audio descriptions and sound atmospheres.
Overcoming the limits of personal experiences, going beyond geographical borders: here the works on display become stories of universal value and finally accessible to all. ‘World Unseen’ represents the realization of Canon’s ethical and sustainable approach which aims to build harmony between individuals, society and the environment, following the concept of Kyosei, or ‘living and working together for the common good’. “World Unseen was born from the belief that photography and art should be accessible to all, overcoming sensory barriers and opening up to those living with a visual disability. For too long, access to beauty and art has been reserved only for those who can see them, while we believe that the aesthetic experience can, and must, involve anyone”, specified Andrea Di Santo, CEO of Canon Italia .
“The whole of society – claims Mario Barbuto, Uici national president – takes important steps forward when it manages to give people with disabilities an important sense of belonging to the community by enhancing their talents; in this sense the exhibition is the most provocative and clear example of what a path of inclusion can be, that is, a moment in which everyone is placed in the same conditions of knowledge using different senses. Listening to audio descriptions and seeing with touch is an experience that allows everyone to interact, to create a richer, stronger and more democratic common experience”.
“The Red Cross is a living action of concrete help in all contexts. We are committed to spreading the culture of inclusion and respect. For this reason, people with disabilities are an active part of the CRI and work as volunteers in all our situations. Because disability must not be perceived as a limit,” said Debora Diodati, vice president of the Italian Red Cross. “What we see in ‘World Unseen’ – adds Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Monsignor Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication – presents itself to us as a great achievement of the technique that meets art, converting itself into art, so that no one remains excluded from the ‘be involved in the dynamics of beauty. In this way, accessibility becomes a tool for inclusion and cultural growth, creating an environment in which each person can feel valued and protagonist”.
Paolo Tedeschi, Head of Corporate Communications Marketing & Sustainability of Canon Italia, states: “if even just one visitor felt the emotion I experienced a year ago, when I embraced the WU project with the entire European Canon team, it means that, as people and as a company, we are taking the right path to break down the barriers of indifference and post-pandemic individualism. When institutions, associations, the public and private sectors collaborate for a conscious use of technological innovation, the success of CSR initiatives of this magnitude is guaranteed and tangible”.
Also present in the room were Kengo Otsuka, minister and Deputy Head of Mission of the Japanese Embassy, Aleksander Nordahl – Ocean Storyteller & Canon Ambassador, among the authors of the works on display, and Alberto Amodeo, swimmer of the Italian Paralympic Swimming Federation (Finp) two-time Olympic champion . “Try to see with touch”, concluded Luigi Monfredi, moderator, journalist and editor-in-chief of Rainews24, who led the debate, showing how, over the years, the dialectic and narration of disabilities has evolved also thanks to the role of technology and of communication care. Much more than an exhibition, an invitation to discover other dimensions of human existence, to encourage universal sharing of the beauty and intensity of photographic art. Canon would like to express sincere thanks to Xplace and Exe Systems for believing in the project and supporting its success, contributing to this inclusion and accessibility initiative. The inauguration of “World Unseen” was held at the prestigious “Nilde Iotti” Library of the Chamber of Deputies in the presence of the President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana.