Seeing and being seen shape our lives. The Blindekuh project sets a counterpoint. Blind people receive sighted people, guide them through a completely dark sensory room and serve them in the Invisible Bar, a meeting place with cultural events.
It is difficult for sighted people to empathise with blind people. The chance to get to know their world is offered by the role reversal in the exhibition Blindekuh. In the darkness, visitors experience how naturally blind people perform everyday tasks.
Culture of seeing in the dark
They play hosts and ensure that their sighted guests experience the darkness not as threatening but as exciting or even fun. Because what the project authors want to convey is the culture of seeing in the dark. This culture means openness, because visual prejudices disappear. But it also means closeness, because communication at a distance does not work in the dark. And finally, visitors learn about slowness, because seeing in the dark means exploring the surroundings with the senses of hearing, smell, taste and touch, for which the untrained need more time.
Cooperation instead of prejudice
The exhibition appeals to people who are curious about a sensual journey of discovery into a world of not seeing - but also to those who wish for a world of encounter and cooperation instead of exclusion and prejudice. Because whether blind or sighted: you can only see well with your heart.
Events in the dark
The exhibition Blindekuh also offers acoustic events on all Saturday evenings and eleven Sunday matinées between 18 May and 20 October 2002. A radio play, various musical performances, storytellers from Switzerland, a Sunday service: there is room for almost everything. For example, the Ticino singer-songwriter and musician Marco Zappa, the German-speaking Swiss cabaret artist Franz Hohler and the French-speaking Swiss storyteller Jean-Louis Millet are scheduled to perform.
Arteplage
Murten-Morat
Visitor capacity per day
1'470
Total visitors
196'140
Partner
Helsana Versicherungen AG, Dübendorf www.helsana.ch
Sponsors
Jelmoli AG, Zurich www.jelmoli.ch
Gebauer Foundation, Zurich www.gebauerstiftung.ch
Supporters
Ernst Göhner Foundation, Zug www.ernst-goehner-stiftung.ch; Sophie and Karl Binding Foundation, Basel www.binding-stiftung.ch; Hans Eggenberger Foundation, Zurich www.hans-eggenberger-stiftung.ch; Paul Schiller Foundation, Zurich www.paul-schiller-stiftung.ch; Avina Foundation Switzerland, Hurden www.avinastiftung.ch; Foundation Swiss School for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Allschwil www.blindenhundeschule.ch; UBS Cultural Foundation, Zurich www.ubs.com; Schweizerische Arbeitsgemeinschaft kultureller Stiftungen (new: SwissFoundations), Zurich www.swissfoundations.ch
Authors
Jürg Flück, Jürg Spielmann, Stefan Zappa
www.blindekuh.ch
Project management
SMC Management Contractors AG (Neu: Renggli International AG) (Stephan Rickenbacher),Winterthur www.renggli-international.com
Architecture
GXM Architekten GmbH (Alexandra Gübeli, Yves Milani), Zurich www.gxm.ch
Structural engineering
Moor Hauser & Partner, Berne
Ventilation planning
Waldhauser Building Services, Münchenstein
Sanitary planning
Anton Riesen, Berne
Electrical planning
Theo Meyer, Stäfa
Building physics/acoustics
Wichser Acoustics & Building Physics, Zurich
Sound radio play
Ernst Thoma
Gastronomy consulting
Beat Läubli
Coaching Expo.02
Danielle Nanchen (Head)
Sina Buxtorf
Operations Management
Martina Lanz (Managing Director)
Gabriella Staub (Programming Events in the Dark)
Photos: Press kit Blindekuh; © Archive Ralph Ammann; © Nüssli (Schweiz) AG, Hüttwilen www.nussli.com
