Maynooth University’s DANCING project drew to a close after five years with the unveiling of a specially-commissioned artwork by MU President Professor Eeva Leinonen at the project’s final conference last week.
Professor Delia Ferri of MU’s School of Law and Criminology and the ALL Institute led a team of five researchers on the project, Protecting the Right to Culture of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancing Cultural Diversity through European Union Law: Exploring New Paths – DANCING.
Funded by a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant of €2 million, it examined the extent to which EU law protects the rights of persons with disabilities to fully participate in cultural endeavours. It set out to identify and categorise barriers to and facilitators of cultural participation experienced by disabled people and explore how the EU can combat discrimination and achieve cultural diversity.
The specially-commissioned artwork, Odisseo-Uysses, was created by Tiziano Pantano, a blind artist living with retinitis pigmentosa. He uses paper and collage techniques to create distinctive artistic works that can be appreciated in different ways by diverse people and can be “experimented” with and touched by people who are blind or have a visual impairment.
Speaking about his work, he said: “I have always had the desire to draw, and I became an artist… but at some stage in my life I could not see well enough to do it… because I am blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. Initially, I felt I could not draw and paint anymore. But I missed my pencils, the tempera, my hands dirty with all the colours… I missed them too much. Thus, I tried to find a different way to draw.”
Odisseo-Ulysses is currently on display on the mezzanine of the TSI building on MU’s North Campus. It features an explanatory label in Irish and English, accompanied by an audio version accessible through a QR code and a Braille version.
It consists of two side-by side panels of the same size. The left panel is a collage, depicting a stylised composition inspired by Greek mythology, while the other panel presents the same composition but rendered in white paper cut-out pieces. This tactile representation enables exploration of the shapes and forms, emphasising the mythological story through texture rather than colour.
Unveiling the artwork, Professor Leinonen said: “The project has leveraged arts-based research and collaboration with artists with disabilities to demonstrate and celebrate cultural diversity.”
“The artwork also showcases the ongoing engagement of Maynooth University with research, creativity and inclusion. It exemplifies Maynooth University’s broader commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion as outlined in the University’s Strategic Plan.”