Photo of Patricia Bérubé

Patricia Bérubé

PhD Candidate, Technology and Culture

Coming from an Art History background, I was quickly drawn to the question of cultural accessibility within museums. In fact, I have always been particularly interested in the evolution of the concept of ‘museum public’, which now starts to expand to previously underrepresented or marginalized groups. By analyzing how colors are used and accessed, my goal is to challenge and broaden our understanding of what cultural accessibility is or should be.

As a PhD student, I am currently building on the knowledge acquired during my M.A., and plan to work closely with collaborators from the low-vision and blind community to create new ways to experience colors in painting.

My research interests include accessibility, perception, neuropsychology, museums and technologies such as 3D printing.

This research work is generously funded by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Degrees:

M.A. in Art History • Université de Montréal

B.A. in Art History and Museology • Université du Québec à Montréal + Academic Exchange • Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

A.E.C in 3D Animation Centre NAD • Montreal

Selected publications:

Online Article – The Conversation

Magazine Article – Revue Dire

  • Article title: Musées : faire une place au toucher, p. 12-16 (No 29-1, Fall 2018)
  • Article title: L’art au bout des doigts, p. 10-15 (No 27-1, Winter 2018)

Exhibition Catalogue – Perspectives sur l’art au Québec. De Brymner à Lemonde.

  • Article title: Rita Letendre, peintre de lumière, p. 70-74 (Fall 2017)

Magazine Articles – Ex_situ

  • Article title: La petite mort, p. 30-32 (No 25, Spring 2016)
  • Article title: L’exposition à l’ère du numérique : vers une médiation digitale, p. 59-63 (No 24, Winter 2015)

Selected Conference Presentations:

« L’art, une question de perceptions ? », 87th ACFAS Congress, Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), May 31st 2019.
« Touch based accessibility: art at your fingertips », symposium: (Un)bound: Interdisciplinary Dialogues, Carleton University, May 3rd, 2019.

Symposium title: Community and Connection: Social responsibility in the heritage sector, panel title: Moderated Discussion on Inclusivity in the Narrative: Artistic Practices and Access to Display, featured speaker alongside Dr. Adrian Chan (Carleton) and Dr. Gabrielle Trepanier (Ingenium), Ottawa Art Gallery, March 30th, 2019.

« Colors at your fingertips », guest lecturer, Carleton University, Course title: Arts and Its Institutions (ART 5010 F), February 27th, 2019.

« Comment utiliser les prototypes tactiles ? Une formation à l’intention des guides bénévoles », guest speaker, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, July 23th, 2018.

« Vers une médiation plus inclusive : la couleur au bout des doigts », Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, SSHRC Storytellers Contest, Regina University, May 28th, 2018.

« Toucher les couleurs pour rendre l’art accessible à tous », 86th ACFAS Congress, Université de Chicoutimi, May 7th 2018.

« L’impression 3D comme solution de médiation auprès d’un public muséal malvoyant et non-voyant », Journée jeunes chercheurs et chercheuses en histoire de l’art, Université de Montréal, March 23th, 2018.

« Dispositif de médiation muséal pour les aveugles en impression 3D », Digital Humanities 2018 Showcase, Université de Montréal, January 26th 2018.

Exhibitions:

2019 Exhibition • Tactile prototypes exhibited in Exploration de l’impression 3D • Québec

2018 – 2019 Permanent collection • Tactile prototypes exhibited in Montreal Museum of Fine Arts • Montreal

2017 Co-Curator • Perspectives sur l’art au Québec. De Brymner à Lemonde • Montreal

2015 – 2016 Curator • Exhibition: Fantôme 3 – Artist: Eric Dufour • Montreal

Selected Interviews / Media Coverage:

2019       Carleton University • Ottawa

Grad Research: Creating Opportunities For Blind and Low-Vision Individuals to Experience Art, published on October 18th, 2019. https://gradstudents.carleton.ca/2019/grad-research-creating-opportunities-for-blind-and-low-vision-individuals-to-experience-art/

2019       Globe and Mail • Canada

How a Montreal researcher is helping the blind experience visual art, published on January 6th, 2019. This is part of Stepping Up, a series introducing Canadians to their country’s new sources of inspiration and leadership. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-how-a-montreal-researcher-is-helping-the-blind-experience-visual-art/

2018       Le Téléjournal • Montreal

Des oeuvres tactiles pour non-voyants au Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Interview broadcasted on August 1st  https://ici.radio-canada.ca/tele/le-telejournal-18h/2016-2017/segments/reportage/81866/toiles-tactiles-pellan-musee-beaux-arts-montreal

2018      Le Devoir • Montreal

Newspapers and digital Newspapers. Jérôme Delgado, Peinture à lire, à l’aveugle, published on July 24th https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/arts-visuels/533045/peinture-a-lire-a-l-aveugle

2018       Agence de presse QMI • Montreal

Newspapers and digital Newspapers. Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal : une oeuvre de Pellan reproduite en tableaux tactiles pour les personnes non voyantes, article published on several websites and Newspapers (Journal de Montréal, TVA nouvelles, Journal 24 Heures, Canoe.ca) on July 23th

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2018/07/23/musee-des-beaux-arts-de-montreal–une-uvre-de-pellan-reproduite-en-tableaux-tactiles-pour-les-personnes-non-voyantes

2018       Montreal Museum of Fine Arts • Montreal

Press release. Des prototypes tactiles permettent aux personnes non-voyantes de percevoir les couleurs d’un tableau du MBAM, July 23th www.mbam.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MBAM-Communique-Prototypes-tactiles_Final-1.pdf

2018       Agence de presse QMI • Montreal

Newspapers and digital Newspapers. Francis Pilon, Elle fait voir des tableaux aux non-voyants, interview published on several websites and Newspapers (Journal de Montréal, TVA nouvelles, Journal 24 Heures, Canoe.ca), May 23th http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2018/05/23/elle-fait-voir-des-tableaux-aux-non-voyants-1

2018       Forum / UdeM nouvelles • Montreal

Digital School Newspaper. Mathieu-Robert Sauvé, Une étudiante permet à des non-voyants de « voir » des tableaux!, interview published on May 11th http://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/article/2018/05/11/une-etudiante-permet-a-des-non-voyants-de-voir-des-tableaux/

2017       AMI Télé • Montreal

Television interview, Ça me regarde, November 25th http://www.amitele.ca/category/ca-me-regarde/media/ca-me-regarde-25-novembre-2017

2017       La Presse + • Montreal

Digital Newspaper. Éric Clément, Saisir les couleurs par le toucher, interview published on April 17th, ARTS section, screen 2 http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/70480f79-f898-4b97-9c23-40ba58eeae88__7C__E9IP4CZB44u0.html