From 3 to 17 December 2024, the “Nilde Iotti” Library of the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome hosted the World Unseen exhibition, a groundbreaking event that represents a remarkable effort in making photography accessible to persons with visual impairments and, at the same time, a powerful awareness-raising message about what having severe low vision feels like. Conceived and organised by Canon in Italy after its success at Somerset House in London, the exhibition obtained the patronage of the Italian Red Cross and the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UICI). With this exhibition, we can offer a meaningful example of universal inclusivity and accessibility to institutions and the public at large. Another step towards true equal rights for all citizens - stated Mario Barbuto, UICI President.
The leitmotiv of sustainability brought together twelve large-format photographic prints, showcasing images taken by as many world-renowned photographers, alongside their respective tactile prints, audio descriptions and Braille captions. Moreover, each picture was partially obscured by a smoked plexiglass, simulating different visual pathologies, from glaucoma to diabetic retinopathy, in order for sighted people to be confronted with the particular visual issues that may prove hard to get across otherwise.
In this sense, the exhibition not only marked a significant step forward in breaking down sensory barriers and democratising a visual art form, but also represented an extraordinary example of inclusiveness with the idea of co-participation for sighted, partially sighted and blind people in the enjoyment of the same artistic content. The evocative setting in which the exhibition took place ‒ a historic library that is one of the major Italian study centres for political and legal subjects ‒ further emphasized the importance of the event, raising awareness across public institutions with regard to the rights and needs of people with visual impairments.