Just over two months after its opening, the exhibition “In the Mind of the Master – Salvador Dalí: Art and Psyche”, dedicated to the enigmatic genius of Surrealism, Salvador Dalí, organized by Dalí Universe and hosted at the Palazzo dei Musei in Modena, offered a unique experience.
Volunteers explored the exhibition blindfolded and guided. The project, which aims to facilitate and engage people with disabilities, was organized in collaboration with the Lega del Filo d’Oro, a foundation focused on supporting people who are both deaf and blind or have complex sensory disabilities.
The project took place last week and was a simulation for the volunteers of the foundation, who visited the exhibition. The goal was to give them the chance to experience the exhibition firsthand and acquire tactile techniques and methods that will be useful for the upcoming event in December 2024, when people with deafblindness will visit the exhibition.
“It was an emotional day”, says Mr. Tomaso Neri of Dalí Universe. “By touching and caressing Dalí’s artworks, the participants were able to grasp the wonder of these masterpieces”. He continues: “One of the participants, while exploring the details of the sculpture Space Elephant, managed to reconstruct the entire image of the bronze, imagining this marvelous sculpture, as part of the Dalí Universe Collection, and capturing its surreal energy, so typical of Dalí. Through touch, the partecipants perceived every aspect of the sculpture, perhaps even more than those of us who have sight”.
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Salvador Dalí, “Space Elephant”, conceived and first cast in 1980.
“Often”, explains Laura Boni, head of Lega del Filo d’Oro volunteers in Modena: “deafblind individuals explore an object ‘piece by piece’, using the meticulousness of touch to reconstruct it in its complete form. This is why it would be extremely helpful to incorporate works or three-dimensional reproductions in museums, to give everyone the opportunity to experience art”.
Curated by Mr. Beniamino Levi, President of Dalí Universe, and sponsored by the Municipality of Modena, the exhibition “In the Mind of the Master – Salvador Dalí: Art and Psyche” offers an immersive journey into the complex world of one of the most prominent figures of the Surrealist movement.
“The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into Dalí’s mind and his relentless exploration of the human psyche”, said Mr. Levi. “It promises to be a must-see event for art lovers and anyone intrigued by the intersections of art, psychology, and philosophy. Art as an experience to overcome barriers and promote inclusion for people with disabilities is a project I have always admired and wanted to carry forward. In fact”, Mr. Levi adds: “it would be right to extend these experiences to all individuals with disabilities, because everyone should have the chance to connect with art and experience the genius of the Catalan Master without limitations, in order to fully appreciate Salvador Dalí’s extraordinary creativity”.
The exhibition “In the Mind of the Master – Salvador Dalí: Art and Psyche” will be open to the public until January 6, 2025.
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Port Lligat, 11 octobre 1959. Portrait with Jasmine. Photo: R. Descharnes © Descharnes & Descharnes sarl
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First page photo : Il Resto del Carlino, article: “Mostra di Dalí a Modena, visita sensoriale”, November 17, 2024.