The art exhibit entitled “When crafts empowers you” showcased the immense talent and creativity of the visually impaired, elderly, and children. 

The event was held from December 1st to December 3rd at the Ashoka Space, located in Seoul, Jongno-gu.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism hosted the event, with the supervision of the Korean Craft and Design foundation under the operation of the organization Another Way of Seeing. 

The event featured art pieces from the Happy Craft Education program, a project by Another Way of Seeing.

The organization Another Way of Seeing is one that empowers the visually impaired through art by providing opportunities for entrance to art programs, teaching art at schools for the blind, organizing craft workshops, and more.

Another Way of Seeing asserts that there is value in teaching art to the visually impaired as the programs unite the aspirations of many people. 

For the Happy Craft Education program, Another Way of Seeing extended its services to the elderly and children, presenting them with an opportunity to experience art directly as craftsmen rather than spectators. 

The program targeted individuals in the northwest region of the Gyeonggi-do province, representing Gimpo-si, Goyang-si, Bucheon-si, Bupyeong-gu, and Michuhol-gu. 

During the 10-week program, a total of 25 artists planned and taught crafts of various fields, such as ceramics, textiles, and hanji- a traditional artisan paper. 

Among the most unique pieces from the exhibit included beautiful ceramics which were individually crafted and painted, allowing the respective artistic creativity of each of the participants to shine through.

Another is a unique combination of the hanji and tapestry portraying designs made by children, such as SpongeBob and Kakao Friends characters. 

The goal of using hanji was to remind participants that traditional mediums can also be used to create modern art.

Many of the pieces were also usable ceramic cups and pots;as craft, by its simple definition, is the act of manufacturing necessary items by hand.

Creating something with one’s own hands allows them to feel an enormous sense of accomplishment and originality, which is an experience that everyone, including the visually impaired, children, and elderly, deserves. 

The exhibit also displayed newly invented products. 

One of these new items was the “New Normal Bag” made in consideration of the visually impaired. 

The bag is designed in a way that allows the visually impaired to quickly take out essential items without them falling out.

There are separate compartments for different items such as wallets, umbrellas, white canes, braille terminals, and more. 

Products such as the New Normal Bag fall under the concept of “minority design,” which means that the product was intended for the comfort of both people with and without disabilities. 

Another product was the eco-friendly soap kit, which contained sheep wool as an ingredient. 

In addition to recycling sheep wool, the kit allows other visually impaired people and children to experience crafting.

The “When crafts empower you” exhibition certainly provides a unique experience as the gallery is unbound by standards of conventional art curators.

Furthermore, the pieces are genuinely beautiful and portray the artistry of minority groups, proving that there is indeed value to teaching art to the visually impaired.