Kayla Whitney is legally blind, but that hasn’t stopped the U of A student from picking up a camera and taking pictures of what her world looks like.

“I consider myself blessed with what sight I have,” said Whitney, who has oculotaneous albinism—a condition which prevents production of pigment—and sometimes uses a cane and a type of mini-telescope in class.  “It’s all I’ve known so I think I can see everything.”

Whitney shows things that are close by—her near environment—in her photos:  a soup can label, her cane, and the car stereo knobs.  Other pictures by the 10 local, national and international artists, some who are completely blind, others with issues like a detached retina, show landscape, fireworks and city streets.  Many have blurred elements, but all are a window into the eyes of those with less sight.

“This is about celebrating vision,” said Megan Strickfaden, assistant professor at U of A and an exhibit curator.

“I asked blind and partly sighted people to take pictures for research, but the photos were so beautiful, we had to share them.”

Strickfaden said the photos are printed on canvas with no glass and no glare so as to be touchable and accessible for visitors of all levels of vision.

Life is art

• In Focus–37 photos and 23 projected images–is on display at Rutherford Library south at U of A until May 30
• Artists range from 20-38 years with every level of experience, using disposable and digital cameras and even camera phones