Too See Stars

Portsmouth’s First We Shine Art & Light Festival – November 2021

Installation Site: Eldon Building, University of Portsmouth

In November 2021, Portsmouth hosted its first-ever We Shine Art and Light Festival — a transformative celebration of creativity across the city. As part of this landmark event, Clarke Reynolds, Mr Dot unveiled a deeply personal and sensory installation titled “To See Stars”, held inside the Eldon Building where he once studied.

This immersive experience was created to reflect on the emotional and physical journey of sight loss. One of the profound early losses for many visually impaired individuals is the night sky — the glimmer of stars slowly fading from view. Clarke’s installation aimed to reignite that cosmic connection through touch and sound.

Over 2,000 visitors stepped into a pitch-black tent, where UV lighting revealed a universe of glowing braille stars cascading across the fabric canopy. Each star, arranged in colour coded braille, formed the words to the familiar lullaby “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” — a poetic nod to memory, vision, and hope.

The experience was multi-sensory. As guests moved through the space, an ambient soundtrack of cosmic sounds — gentle pulses and galactic hums — surrounded them, creating the sensation of floating in the universe. The braille stars were fully tactile, inviting people to physically engage with the canopy above, forging a deeper understanding of how blind and visually impaired people “see” through touch.

“To See Stars” was not just an artwork — it was a message. A reminder of what is lost, but also what can still be beautifully experienced in new and inclusive ways.

“This piece was my way of giving the stars back to those
who’ve lost them — to share how we as visually impaired people can still dream
in light, even in the dark.”
— Clarke Reynolds