Multisenses of Dyslexia Artist’s Reception

Since first characterized by Dr. Adolph Kussmaul in Germany in 1877, Dyslexia, originally called “Word Blindness” has been a poorly understood condition often associated with severe reading difficulties, but also associated with an altered manner of perception. Well known artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, and Auguste Rodin are believed to have been dyslexic. This exhibit, by dyslexic artist Stephanie A Skolik, MD, depicts not only visual representations of what it “feels” like to be dyslexic but presents each work in a five senses manner to enhance the exhibit into a multisensory adventure. The basic premise is that each of us individually experience art in our own manner, the objective of this exhibit is to facilitate expanding that single sense (visual) component into an all-encompassing all five senses “experience.”

Each painting in this exhibit is presented with a companion clay (pallet to touch), QR reader for listening to the description of the painting and the process that led to the depiction as well as an accompanying card (available at the exhibit entrance) with spices matched to each painting to enhance our olfactory and gustatory components of our senses while experiencing each work.