New Zealand Sign Language Week highlighted the deaf community’s interest in art.

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery (DPAG) held a tour of the Beloved collection last Sunday, with sign language interpreter Brydee Jenkin Strang translating guide Eryn van Dijk’s discussion.

This tour was the only interpreted gallery tour in New Zealand for Sign Language Week, and was the second time it was run.

The Beloved collection shows popular works in the DPAG collection such as pieces by Colin McCahon, Claude Monet and Reuben Paterson.

Ms Strang said the deaf community would go to more events like the tour if they were on offer.

Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ) community relations officer Jenna Holland attended the tour, and said deaf attendees enjoyed the event and would like more translated events.

“Deaf community members like visualising and describing things,” Ms Holland said.

Ms Holland would like to see an exhibition of work by deaf artists with a related workshop to introduce people to sign language and the deaf arts community.

Deaf attendee Monroe Taylor (46) recently moved to Dunedin from Palmerston North and said he found there was more on offer in Dunedin.

“This was good, very comfortable environment, would be nice to have a glass of wine too,” he said.

DPAG visitor host Rosemary Jackson-Hunter said the gallery would like to hold more events like the interpreted tour.

“We are considering doing something for people with impaired sight,” Ms Jackson-Hunter said.

 DANZ held a workshop on sign language for gallery staff during Sign Language Week.

Ms Jackson-Hunter said sign language gained public exposure through Jeremy “the sign language guy” Borland’s on-screen media translations for Christchurch’s February earthquake.

Sign language is New Zealand’s third official language.

New Zealand Sign Language Week ran May 2-8.

Source:

http://www.itmaru.org.nz/newsline/?p=433

May 12th, 2011 | By Rachel Hannan