Phase 1: When I Close My Eyes and Ears, I Sense You Clearly
03–07 November 2025 | Norwegian Theatre Academy, Østfold University College, Fredrikstad, Norway
Finally, my dream project has kicked off! I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me in making this project possible: the artist members, blind mentors, Art Council Norway, venues, and many others.
Project Description
We are creating a participatory exhibition-performance based on the principles of universal design, with a focus on inclusion and accessibility for deaf, blind, and deafblind audiences, alongside seeing and hearing audiences.
Bringing together artists from performing art, sound art, and visual art, we collectively explore the question: What does it truly mean to create an inclusive art experience?
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Phase 1
For this first phase, we worked at the Norwegian Theatre Academy (NTA), where I studied BA in Scenography. The idea of this project began developing during my time as a student there, so I was eager to return to “my home” to conduct the first experimental works. I am grateful to NTA for providing this opportunity.
We worked on many aspects: learning about deaf and blind perspectives and haptic language for deafblind communication, testing out different materials to feel which speak to us in terms of stimulating people’s senses, and questioning how to create a space that finds a balance between challenging sensory experiences and maintaining safety. We invited blind mentors as test audiences to integrate their voices and needs into our art.
Through this process, we found our direction, and each artist has been working on their creations.
Phase 2 will take place in January 2026 to develop it further.
Idea and Concept, Artistic Leader, Scenography, Olfactory Art
Ayana Ishihara
DancersInger-Reidun Olsen, Mathias Jin Budtz
Deaf Actor