Andreas Reichinger
This contribution on Tactile Photography, a novel discipline based on the use of stereoscopy
to create 3D-printed reliefs is co-authored between an art historian and a computer vision
researcher. We first introduced the concept at a conference on Materiality and Immateriality
in Photography in Vienna in 2012 and the following proceedings published in the magazine
PhotoResearcher. Since then, we have amplified our research in the field of cultural heritage,
accessibility, collaborate art practice and participatory research. This article begins with a
short introduction on the rise of multisensorial art practices and projects in the field of
tactile interpretation. Thereafter, we focus on our main field of research, the use of
stereoscopy to create 3D-printed reliefs: its premises, technical description, its cultural and
artistic impact, and finally, its potentials in the field of education, of inclusivity and in
exhibition design. Implementations in artistic workshops in Europe and Northern Africa have
shown the validity of the proposed methodology, which will be amplified in an 8 week
program to be held in Japan in 2022.
