The exhibition “Braille” by MATAROA Award winner Dimitris Kapetanos, as part of the events ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, “On the road to Paris”

Dimitris Kapetanos’ MATAROA Awards 2022 winning work “Braille” is presented for the first time in its entirety in Thessaloniki, at the French Institute of Thessaloniki, from February 20 to March 14, 2024, in an exhibition that is part of the events ahead of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games under the general title “On the Road to Paris”. The exhibition is organized by the Consulate General of France and the French Institute of Thessaloniki with the support of MATAROA, the Centre for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Lola Nikolaou Art Gallery.

The artwork consists of wall-mounted text panels, written in Braille, based on interviews with people with visual impairment issues, describing how they see, remember or imagine colours.

The uniqueness of the exhibition lies in the purpose and the way the project was implemented. A subversion of the concept of seeing is achieved, since people who know the Braille writing system can understand the content of the paintings and act as guides. On the other hand, those who cannot read the writing, put themselves briefly in the position of all those who are unable to communicate with the visual work in question. Consequently, an informal performance takes place in the room, with the assistance of floor markings/signage, defining elements of blind persons’ wayfinding. Nonetheless, transcripts of the interviews will be available in the exhibition area, so that, after the tour and the initial surprise, the visitor will have the opportunity to be informed of what the interviewees say.

In the context of including the exhibition in the events leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, an additional artistic exhibit will be presented, a ball for people with visual disabilities. Its creator, Alexandros Kapetanou, has chosen to mould it from a plastic, non-recyclable- material, that of the white and red traffic police prohibition tape- and to tell us more about its use in football for visually impaired people, a sport included in the Paralympic Games.

Duration of the exhibition: 20/2 – 14/3/2024

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday 18:00 – 21:00 pm.

Saturday 11:00 – 16:00 p.m. (Except Saturday 24/2).

Monday: Closed

Hall: Allatini – Dassault

Free entrance