Void explores world of blind climber John
A unique exhibition hosted by Derry's Void Gallery, Touchtone Test Piece, is an exploratory art project based on a local blind person's experiences of climbing.
Over the last fifteen years Dan Shipsides has developed an art practice which uses climbing to think creatively about the spaces around us - in particular landscape spaces and ideas about what landscape is or could be.
Over the last few years he's been taking John, a blind man from Derry, climbing regularly. This activity has been aimed at thinking how to capture or describe something of this landscape experience. One approach to achieve this was by attaching tiny micro cameras to John's fingers, backpack and feet in order to record "finger tip" footage of his climbing, footage which led directly to Dan Shipsides subsequent exploratory project - 'Echo Valley/A Guiding Dilemma'.
John said of his experiences: "I have no sight at all - so I didn't have any fear climbing – it probably helps not to have any idea of what 20 metres looks like from above. As long as it feels safe I enjoy the climbing and I don't have any fear - it doesn't come into my mind. The only time I'm scared of heights is in my dreams."
The exhibition will run until June 20.
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 14 C to 23 C
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Sunny spells
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