June 25 - Canadian Museum of Human Rights

Lyle and I are in Winnipeg.  Today we visited the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.  The building is relatively new, with a unique architectural design.  The base is a half globe with a tall tower pointing skyward.

I was excited to visit the museum because currently it is host to a photography display titled "Sight Unseen."  The photographs in the display were all taken by camera artists with visual impairments ranging from total blindness to partial sight.  Several photos were accompanied by tactile and/or auditory descriptions.

There were brief biographies of all the photographers.  Many gave their reasons for taking up this particular art form.  Some said that it was a p9olitical statement and inroad to a visual world.  I immediately identified with one comment, the gist of which said that sighted photographers photograph what they see, but a legally blind person might photograph something so that he/she can see it.  I often ask Lyle to take a picture of something so that I can see it more easily using my magnifying technology at home.

While I was impressed with the "Sight Unseen" display, I found the remainder of the museum - it is seven floors tall - to be more geared to a visual experience.  There was much to read and many pictures to view.  I was glad to have Lyle along to read and explain things to me.

The museum covered many topics dealing with disabilities, inclusion, and minority groups.  The topics ranged from national issues such as residential schools in Canada to international issues such as apartheid, the holocaust, modern day refugees, and discrimination against women and the gay community.

We spent several hours at the museum, but the highlight for me was definitely the Sight Unseen display. Winnipeg is only a temporary home for the display as it moves on (I think to Vancouver) in the third week of September.  Don't miss it if you have the opportunity to see it.