One million facebookers, bloggers and twitterers, a quarter of a million deafblind people in the UK, 40 venture scouts, five short films, two continents, one celebrity photographer.
The UK deafblind charity Sense is marking Deafblind Awareness Week on the 22nd – 28th June with a truly worldwide web of initiatives including a series of filmed documentaries, a virtual gallery to experience deafblindness and a portal to give a sensory makeover to all web applications. The charity has also collaborated with celebrity photographer, Dave Hogan to capture images to represent life for deafblind people today. Sense wants people to log on at .
Normally used to photographing A-listers like Michael Jackson and Madonna, Hogan has used photography to challenge misconceptions about deafblind people. He says: “I discovered that deafblindness doesn’t necessarily mean that people are totally deaf and blind. And they’re not always alone and isolated, but can lead full and rewarding lives if given the right support. But for some life is still a daily struggle.”
His thought provoking images will hang in a virtual gallery side by side with an online installation by Canadian artist, Natalie Schonfeld Howard, who has photographed deafblind people from around the world in a multi media exhibition called Legally Deafblind.
Sense has spent five months filming a series of short web documentaries. The films span a three year old boy to a 96 year old widow to outline what deafblind people want, which include love and romance, friendship, understanding, support…. and a lottery win! The films highlight that deafblind people are all different and want different things in life.
If that wasn’t enough, Sense has given the web a complete sensory makeover, creating a new portal “ ”, to allow people to enter and share a world of sensory experiences online. The gateway will help bloggers, tweeters, photographers and facebookers, to channel the web, unleash their sensory skills and let rip their creative juices.
As for the 40 venture scouts, they may soon cross your palm with words. The Bristol based teens are learning deafblind manual, the communication language for people who can’t see or hear. Their aim is to learn the lingo and teach their school friends to teach their friends and family and go forth and multiply.
