Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

— India Project Brief

Lead Artist Residency – Madras Art Week, Chennai | December 2023

In December 2023, I was honoured to travel to Chennai, India as the lead artist for an inclusive art initiative during Madras Art Week, bringing my tactile language of braille across borders and cultures.

The trip began with a powerful moment: I was invited to speak on an inclusive art panel at the British High Commissioner’s residence, where I shared the stage with incredible artists and advocates dedicated to making art accessible on a global scale.

Lost in Translation

– A Multilingual Braille Installation

As part of my residency, I created a community-led artwork titled “Lost in Translation”, a tactile, multilingual installation celebrating the richness of language and the universality of touch.

The work featured panels of braille words in English, Tamil, and Hindi — sparking conversation around inclusion, communication, and cultural connection. Visitors were invited to touch and read, discovering how braille can transcend literacy barriers across continents.

Inclusion in Connectivity

– A Return to the Source

The journey came full circle when I visited the local school that created my earlier project, “Inclusion in Connectivity” — a vibrant, hands-on art piece using my colour-coded braille jigsaw puzzle system. Watching children explore their creativity and literacy through this format was emotional and inspiring. Seeing it embraced in India affirmed my ethos:

Art is for everyone. Braille is for everyone. Inclusion starts with touch.

Project Impact:

Championing accessible art at a diplomatic level
Creating a trilingual braille installation with local communities
Connecting education and art through interactive braille design
Inspiring inclusive practice at an international art festival

This project proved that braille isn’t just a writing system — it’s a language of belonging. Across continents and cultures, when we centre inclusion, we build bridges that are impossible to lose in translation.