Unveiling the Unseen
BlindWiki is a community-based smartphone project that invites citizens who are blind or partially sighted to share their own experience on the difficulties and facilities they find in their day-to-day lives.
Beyond Barriers: Telling Stories of People and Place
As a sensorial and locative map of the unseen BlindWiki holds not only information on barriers and accommodations, but also a repository for storytelling posts. Designed to build a more nuanced location-specific overview of the cityscape -as experienced by people with vision loss who interact with it on a regular basis- BlindWiki fosters experiences and opinions in order to produce a collaborative and creative cartography.
BlindWiki App: Building on Mobile Phone Technology
The application for smartphones allows participants to record site-specific audio and to immediately publish it to the BlindWiki platform. Visually impaired and sighted participants have the opportunity to walk through their city with smartphones, receiving data that participants have previously tagged. BlindWiki app triggers geo-located audio descriptions and stories, tagged obstacles or chronicles. The app not only allows participants to share their findings, but it also raises social awareness on the daily routine and diverse perception of the visually impaired.
Beyond Telematics: Gatherings and Presential Workshops
BlindWiki is dynamized in weekly meetings and workshops. The face-to-face interaction of these gatherings allows the creation of permanent personal bonds between participants, that are complementary of the online day-to-day interactions. Participants are encouraged to go together for sound recording expeditions where they map the neighborhoods of their choice.
Replicability and Network Dissemination
The experience acquired by the group in the initial workshop is the starting point from which BlindWiki expands through the city. Once the first participants are familiar with the app and the methodology, they can expand the network through their friends and associations, thus transferring their knowhow. In this way, each local project expands in space and time, potentially becoming a permanent node of an international network.
Towards an International Network
The BlindWiki website is organized as a citizen network allowing participants to map and comment on accessibility in the cities where they live. The site also enables participants to organize as activists and to lobby for increased and improved way-finding facilities. The BlindWiki project aims to become an international network where people with visual impairments have the opportunity to share, analyze, discuss and compare the accessibility situation of their home towns.
2014-2024 BlindWiki project Antoni Abad
Web development Matteo Sisti Sette
App development Kevin Sánchez
2022 São Paulo/Brasil supported by PROAC Direto 2021 Curadora Bruna Batisttini Produção Silvia Stecca Participantes Adelino, Alex Batista, Anna Marta, Audmara Veronese, Barbara Barros, Brunab, Cacilda Viana de Oliveira, Carlivan Braga, Carlos Alberto Gonçalves da Silva, Carolineb24, Cecília Oka, Cida Dehira, Cinthia Moriyama, Cintia Lima, Coccitiago, Daniel Nunes, Danielle Pereira, Davi, Dudaamorim, Ednilson Sacramento, Eduardo Erici Soares, Falando Tudo, Fernanda Moreno, Fernando Silva, Filipe Oliveira, Francisco Salys Antunes, Palácio, Geisa, Geny Marques Rodrigues, Gerber Donizete de Sá, Geyza, Kerle Silva de Oliveira, Gika Schwarzer, Gimendes, Helena Rosa, Ibarrosss, Ivanise Boal, Jennifer, João Albano, Joel Silvino Nunes, José Roberto Oliveira, Joze Vicente de Paula, Keity, Leborio, Lilia Lima, Luany Silva, Lucasonary, Luce Prima, Lucia Benevides, Magno Albuquerque, Margarete Marques Jardim, Maria Eugenia Guimarães, Maria Isabel Abrantes, Maria Regina Lopes, Marinalva Sena, Mayara Farias, Mel, Micheli, Momota, MP Quintairos, Myriann Furtado, Ovvero, Pamela Priscila Melo Pris, Ramos, Raquel, Reginacelia Renata Mello, Renatehart, Renatoalioti, Rogério Silveira Dotti, Rosalini, Shadowbrine Anna, Shirlei, Sidney Tobias, Silvana Sarti, Silverlei Silvestre Vieira, Sílvia Andreossi, Silvia Stecca, Simonetiemis, Sj Campos Renato, Tarcila Gama, Tatiane Kawano, Teco, Thaysa Karoline, Thomaz, Tuca Munhoz, Valéria, Wellington Realização Secretaria da Cultura do Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Madri Comunicação e Assessoria Ltda Parcerias Embaixada da Espanha no Brasil, Prefeitura da Cidade de São Paulo, Fundação Dorina Nowill, Laramara, SESC 24 de Maio e Sorocaba, Instituto Moreira Salles, Itaú Cultural, Japan House, Centro Cultural São Paulo, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Sorocaba, Unibes Cultural Coordenadora técnica Marta Lima Dias Coordenadores Audimara Veronese, Renata Mello, José Vicente de Paula, Margarete Jardim, Sidney Tobias Comunicação Moreno Mota Dias Imprensa Larissa Gallep Documentário Olhar Periférico Filmes, André Fratti Costa, Matias Lancetti, Paulo Schlick Thanks to Amigos Pra Valer, Biblioteca Braille CCSP, Fabiana de Barros, Tuca Munhoz, Carlos Ferrari, Pedro Milliet, Carlivan Braga, Lucas Bambozzi, Giselle Beigelman, Marcelo Godoy, Alex Pilis, Cecília Oka, Raffaella Braga, Restaurante Pobre Juan, e a todos os colaboradores e fotógrafos voluntários.
2020 Valencia/Spain supported by Festival 10 Sentidos, Las Naves*Ajuntament de València Participants Alfonso Alcobo, Amanda Sánchez, Ana Sánchez Company, Ana Cembrero, Anna Soler, César Marqués, Chuchi, Empar Botella, Encarnación Sánchez Martínez, Francisco Javier Vicente Castell, Javier Parra, Jorge Alamar, Juan Pascual Plaza, Justina Pérez Cantos, Núria Váquez, Pablo Martínez, Paula Fernández Valdés, Vicente Aguado, Vicente Campoy Thanks to Facultat de Belles Arts (Departament d'Esultura i Escola de Doctorat) de la Universitat Politècnica de València, Maribel Domènech, Salomé Cuesta, Marta Fernández, Ioseba Catalán Muñoz, Gema Hoyas, Juanjo Ferrer, Delegació territorial ONCE Comunitat Valenciana, Associació de Veïns i Veïnes Cabanyal-Canyamelar Producció de vídeo Denver Workshop coordination Isabel Puig
2017 Biennale di Venezia/Italia supported by Institut Ramon Llull Curators Mery Cuesta & Roc Parés Cartoonist Max Communication and Design for All Avanti-Avanti Studio Research and Seminar coordination Mario Ciaramitaro Video production Danto Productions Exhibition set up Art% Special thanks to all participants Anna Ammirati, Inessa Baldin, Flavia Banchi, Mattia Bordolotto, Simone Boso, Romane Bourgeois, Elena Brescacin, Miriam Calabrese, Luigi Carabuzza, Valentina Caccamo, Luca Casella, Cristina Faraon, Laura Ficotto, Francesco Fratta, Irene Fratta, Martina Fusaro, Anita Herodek, Piergiorgio Longagnani, Andrea de Lorenzo, Martina Manzari, Chiara Mazza, Guglielmo Messina, Giulia Oblach, Tobia della Puppa, Antonio Pozzana, Stefano Rossetti, Anna Maria Salariace, Alberto Scatto Vio, Emanuele Serpe, Felice Tagliaferri, Marta Toti, Alessandro Trovato, Ilaria Visentin, Rossana Zambon Thanks to Ernest Ameller, Francesc Aragall, Associació Discapacitat Visual de Catalunya, Associació Catalana per la Integració del Cec, Alberto Balletti, Alessandra Ballotta, Giulia Bencini, Llorenç Blasi, Luciano Domenicali, Bernat Franquesa, Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano, Fundació Ulls del Món, Dimas García, Paolo Garbolino, Miquel Giner, Andrés Lewin-Richter, Jose Lozano, Sandra Martin, Albert Morales, Shaun Pilgrem, ONCE Barcelona, Phonos, Paolo Rosso, Sala Blu Stazione Santa Lucia, Sala Consiliare di San Lorenzo, Scoleta dei Calegheri, Angela Vettese, Giuseppe Vigolo Workshop coordination Valeria Bottalico
2016 Wrocław/Poland supported by Wrocław 2016/Europejska Stolica Kultury, European Capital of Culture, Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego Thanks to Wrocławski Dom Literatury, Dolnośląski Specjalny Ośrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy nr 13 dla Niewidomych i Słabowidzących, Fundacja Eudajmonia, Fundacja Katarynka, Monika Tramś, Dominika Drop, Alicja Grabarczyk, Krzysiek Orłowski, Justyna Mańkowska, Marcin Jarosz, Kamil Pietrowiak, Bartek Lis, Katarzyna Wojtczak, Agata Brzozowicz Workshop coordination Dominika Kulczyńska
2016 Berlin Biennale/Deutschland supported by Berlin Biennale, Institut Ramon Llull, Acción Cultural Española, Embassy of Spain in Germany, Cooperación Española Thanks to Allgemeiner Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Berlin, Cathrin Mayer, Marco Roso, Anna Berndtson, Roc Parés, Alessandra Angeloni, Daniel Belasco Rogers, Junichiro Ishii, Helena Oliveira, Minhye Chu Workshop coordination Dirk Sorge
2015 Sydney/Australia supported by Instituto Cervantes in Sydney, Art & About, Sydney Ideas - University of Sydney, Acción Cultural Española, Embassy of Spain in Australia, Institut Ramon Llull, Centre for Disability Research and Policy - Faculty of Health Sciences - University of Sydney, Department of Media and Communications - Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences - University of Sydney, Disability Services - University of Sydney; Thanks to Vision Australia, César Espada, Víctor Ugarte, Luis Salvador-Carulla, Gerard Goggin, Wayne Hawkins, Cailin Maas, Zyra McCauliffe, Imogen Yang Workshop coordination Paula Llull
2014-2015 Roma/Italia supported by Accademia di Spagna a Roma, Cooperación Española, Embassy of Spain in Italy, RomaEuropa Festival, Facoltà di Scienze Politiche - La Sapienza Università di Roma Thanks to Luciano Domenicali, Ugo Viola, Marco Serranti, Emanuela Ruggia, Laura Mariottini, Andrea Delluomo, Valentino Catricalà, Antonella Zerbinatti, Rossana Miele, Enrique Bordes, Joan Espasa, Maria Luisa Contenta, Fernando Villalonga, Francisco Prados, Ángeles Albert de León Workshop coordination Dalila D'Amico
359 participants 3550 posts BlindWiki contents by BlindWiki and contributors under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Map data ©OpenStreetMap contributors, under ODbL Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0 Interactive maps libray by Leaflet ©Vladimir Agafonkin Static maps generator by Crofty Mapstatic PHP framework ©Yii Software LLC Mobile app framework by Adobe PhoneGap under Apache 2.0 Mobile app HTML, CSS & JS by Cordova, under Apache 2.0 Android, Google Play, and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
