artitudes

Ricarda McDonald

Listen
steel, plexiglas and text

Listen makes visual the gap between what is available and what is needed, the gap that so many with disabilities encounter many times in a single day.

I experienced these difficulties when recovering from a brain injury. I was often not “able” to make use of services or help, which was offered specifically for my injury, because of my injury.

The word LISTEN is employed to bring attention to the basic human desire to be heard and understood.

Braille is used to signify the difficulty associated with satisfying this desire.

The Braille is immediately inaccessible to anyone who cannot read Braille. Further, the Braille is made difficult to read for those who do know Braille. Secondly the Braille is not available to touch for those who do read Braille. The texture exists only on the under side of the panels and even if accessed would be reversed and difficult to read because of its size. Placing only one letter on each panel increases the difficulty by placing a gap that must be bridged. The panels are placed on the floor to add another level of difficulty to access.

The work consists of six Plexiglas panels suspended horizontally, using steel corners, at a height of 5.5 cm. above the gallery floor. This allows for significant shadow to appear on the floor, further confusing the message. On the panels, the Braille word “Listen” is visible.

This begins to give the feeling experienced by the disabled when what is available or supplied does not match the need.

Daniel Migneault