Feel the Quillworks: A Multisensorial Experience

- inclusive design, interpretive exhibition, multisensory, editorial design - craft (birch bark, porcupine quills, sweetgrass), print Multisensory Design is a small but steadily growing niche in the museum world. Most exhibitions make me realize how sight is just one of the senses we use to engage with art. This realization, with a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with selected porcupine quillworks done by an indigenous artist - Cheryl Simon at the exhibition (Matues Revisited) at The Centre for Craft Nova Scotia. This exhibition inspired me to propose a new multisensory design project: A Multisensory Interpretive Box. The Box intends to understand how multisensory exhibition design can help connect audiences with intellectual, neurological, and developmental disabilities to the culturally specific Mi’kmaw knowledge, expertise, and artistic practices in this exhibition.

paper prototype

birch bark

prototype

prototype (inside)

THE BOX:

There are two parts of The Box: the lid and the body. Both parts are covered in birch bark as all the quillworks are done on a birch bark background. In The Box, there is a piece of sweetgrass sample that spreads the scent. There is also a rounded ornament that enables people to understand how quillworks feel in hand. On the inner sides of The Box, there are four pieces of sample quillworks that represent each of the original pieces on the wall. The instruction in the middle leads people to find where the sample pieces are located in the original works.

Visitors feeling the quillwork samples

Visitor smelling sweetgrass

Visitor finding the samples in the original work

Photo by David Simmonds

THE JOURNAL:

The journal documents my research, collaborative and iteration process, and live observation of people interacting with The Box. Special thanks to Aoife Mac Namara and Cheryl Simon.

Other Projects

Five Senses: A Multisensorial Museum Exhibition System

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