Résidus visuels, Johanne Jarry (2014)
 |
| During our BAnQ visit |
Johanne Jarry's “Résidus visuels” stood out to me because of its ingenious use of the tactile quality of braille to create an experience. This artist book mixes braille with alphabetical text, as well as using braille to render shapes. The type looks like Helvetica, which is a sans-serif font.
 |
| Courtesy: La chose imprimée https://lachoseimprimee.com/les-publications/residusvisuels-le-livre-3/ |
I think it is an interesting approach to be inclusive of both visual readers and tactile readers in the same book. The shapes carved out in braille allows both of these groups to experience the book, but in different ways. The blind reader comprehends the words as they follow the curves and movements of the braille, while the sighted reader can see and touch the dots, but cannot comprehend the text. The braille shapes are actually based off of maps from around the world:
« La narration est entrecoupée d’illustrations tactiles produites à partir d’extraits de plans (d’un appartement et d’un quartier urbain) et de cartes du monde (péninsule gaspésienne, archipel dans le Sud-Est asiatique, mer des Caraïbes) qui renforcent la dimension spatiale de l’œuvre. »
It makes me wonder what is written in braille!
The book uses no ink whatsoever which really puts the quality of braille and embossed paper in the spotlight. As sighted readers, we very rarely interact with braille and it is seldomly seen in mainstream publications. The last time I was made aware of it was during Rihanna's 'ANTI' era, whose album cover was designed by Roy Nachum. This artist began incorporating braille cells in his works as an aesthetic decision, but also as an act of inclusivity, as he asked himself "how does one make a painting for a blind man?" This approach gives his works a distinctive and visually appealing look.
 |
| Source: http://www.roynachum.com/ |
I think this work will inspire my own by opening my mind towards other avenues of the definition of text and words, as they do not only take the shape of the alphabet.