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Project “Conoscere la forma”

The “Knowing the Shape” project that originated from the collaboration between iGuzzini and the Central Institute for Restoration develops along two lines:

- “Shapes to see”: a model of an artwork is interpreted by three personalities with a different specific background: a restorer; an art historian; a photographer.

- “Shapes to touch”: the same model of the sculpture, coherent with the original, with suitable material and scale is made available for the blind to be touched and perceived.

The project aims at identifying one or more analytical lighting methodologies to offer museum and exposition curators a higher awareness in the illumination of sculptures.
In addition, the project wants to explore different perceptive modes not related with light and sight. Copies of the artworks were made available to the blind.
As regards the “Shapes to touch” section, taking into account the problems of visually impaired users, we used the valuable collaboration of the Homer Tactile Museum of Ancona for the scientific and cultural aspects, in view of the deep knowledge acquired through multiple years of experience.
The Homer Museum arranged the instruments (audiocassettes, Braille documentation, etc.) necessary to disseminate the contents of the project.

The project included two events: the first event in Milan from May 23 to June 18, 2006 and the second one in Paris, at the Louvre Museum, from March 23 to June 18, 207.