Touching Craft (Undue Burden)

Image by Vinetta Miller; Image ID in alt text

NOTE: Please make sure to read important COVID-19 policies below.

Touching Craft is the opening celebration for Undue Burden‘s “Haptic Gallery” of touchable art by sick and disabled visual artists. The event also includes a gallery tour and workshops where participants can create audio descriptions and clay stamps. By expanding and disrupting our ideas of the “visual,” we can create change around systemic oppression and build more robustly creative art worlds.

We welcome:

• Sick, disabled, Mad, neurodivergent, blind, and D/deaf gallery goers and artists
• Those interested in integrating more access into their arts spaces
• Artists and craftspeople of all kinds
• Anyone who gets a little thrill out of touching art!

The “Haptic Gallery” will be on view through November as part of Undue Burden (Oct. 19 – Nov. 23, 2024), a community archive and event series celebrating the experiences of Disabled people.

Note: If you are questioning whether you are disabled enough, this space is for you. If you are a nondisabled accomplice, this space is for you. This space centers sick, MAD, neurodivergent, and Disabled community members, and we also understand that these identities and experiences may overlap with other forms of systemic oppression and otherness, that some identities might resonate while others might not. We will not police your identity, but rather we create space for exploring these forms of identity and the creative potential of disability art-making. You are welcome here in all your questions and complexities.

Revised COVID-19 Policy for Undue Burden events

Members of our community are high risk and severely immunocompromised. It is our collective responsibility to take care of each other. Please follow the guidelines below to keep our community safe.

• High quality (KN95 or better), well-fitting masks must be worn at all times and are required to enter the venue. Masks will be provided for those who need them.
• Proof of day-of-event negative tests are required at the door. Rapid antigen tests will be provided at the door for those who need them.
• For those who can’t wear masks, proof of a day-of-event negative rapid antigen test is required.
• If you test positive for COVID-19, please do not attend. If you have recently been sick with COVID-19, proof of two negative rapid antigen tests taken 48 hours apart is required.
• Please do not attend if you have symptoms of any illness.
• Eating and drinking must be done outside the venue.
• All events will utilize HEPA filtration.
• If you have questions or need more information, please reach out to hookandloopphl@gmail.com.

Event Schedule

2:15-2:45pm: Workshop – Audio description for Visual Art

Learn how to create greater access for visual art by drafting your own image descriptions.

2:45-3:15pm: Workshop – Stamping Station

Interact with the central UNDUE BURDEN archive exhibit through stamping.

Participants will use soft modeling clay to create stamps. Stamps can be made by drawing into the clay, pressing the clay into a textured item or sculpture on display, or by modeling raised areas on the clay. Stamps made the previous week will also be available. Participants can then dip their unique stamps into washable, non-toxic, tempera paint and transfer their stamp design onto the living archive. We will also have sheets of fabric to stamp on. These fabric squares can be added to the archive or be taken home.

Demonstration and instruction will be provided by artist Miranda Blas. This is a safe space to be creative!

This activity will take place seated at tables. Stamping onto the archive will happen where the archive is hung from the walls. The archive installation is accessible via standing or sitting. This is a relatively mess free activity. Model Magic is pretty clean, not sticky, and leaves no residue on the hands. There will be hand wipes available if paint gets a bit messy and participants can also wash hands in the bathroom.

3:15-4pm: Deep Touch Gallery Tour

A deep touch tour of the “Haptic Gallery” by project artist Shannon Brooks.

4-6pm: Gallery Opening Reception

Opening reception with light refreshments available.

Accessibility Notes

• Please see our access landing page for general access considerations and Covid protocols for events.
• ASL interpreter on-site from 2:15- 4:15pm.
• The venue and restroom are wheelchair accessible.
• High quality (KN95 or better), well-fitting masks required at all times and provided.
• Please rapid test before you attend and bring photo proof, and stay home if you are sick with anything. Antigen tests will be provided if you forget.
• If you have recently been sick with COVID-19, proof of two negative rapid antigen tests taken 48 hours apart is required.
• Air purifiers provided.
• Snacks and food may be enjoyed outside the venue.
• Auto captioning provided.
• QR codes available for audio descriptions of archive materials.
• Low sensory areas provided.
• Comfy and larger seating provided.

Share additional accessibility needs through the ticket registration page, or by emailing Mary Zhou (mary@paintedbride.org). Please share by Oct. 26 to allow us adequate time to prepare. We will do our best for requests received after this date.