Whitney Signs Has its Final Tour of the Biennial
Jun 16, 2010

 Whitney Signs, held on the first Saturday of every month, is a free gallery talk led by a deaf museum educator. On June 5, the final Whitney Signs tour of 2010, the Biennial, took place. 

A robust crowd of over twenty people—many of whom are Whitney Signs regulars—started their Museum visit with a wine reception. During this time, visitors got a chance to catch up with old friends, meet new people, and get to know Andrew Fisher, their museum educator. Fisher is deaf and gives the tours in American Sign Language. He is usually accompanied by a voice interpreter, also making the tour accessible to hearing visitors.

Following the reception, Fisher led his group through the fourth floor of 2010. He dynamically described the works on view, as well as the background of the exhibition and the artists. Many visitors asked questions throughout the tour, and some works in particular sparked animated debate.

The goal of Whitney Signs is to make the Museum as accessible as possible to all of its diverse audiences. One Whitney Signs regular in particular is both deaf and blind. When he visits, the museum provides a tactile-interpreter to make the exhibition accessible to him. The voice interpreter also makes it possible for anyone in the gallery to drop in on the tour and participate, allowing Whitney Signs to be a truly inclusive experience.  

The next Whitney Signs event will be held on July 10. The reception will begin at 3:00 pm and a tour of Heat Waves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield will follow at 4 pm. 

Read more about the Museum’s Access Services. 

By Sarah Meller, Interpretation and Research Assistant