Johannesburg, South Africa 26 June 2025 - Canon’s photography exhibition you don’t need to see, World Unseen is coming to South Africa. This phenomenal multisensory experience will feature art tailored for the visually impaired, the partially sighted and the sighted. In partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), British High Commission and BlindSA, for the first time in South Africa, Canon will showcase, tactile, elevated portrait prints designed specifically for the visually impaired to experience art through touch.
Canon’s World Unseen exhibition is transforming art into a sensory experience.
The initiative forms part of Canon’s commitment to foster spaces of inclusivity and diversity. Globally, there are over 40 million living with blindness and 250 million people with a form of visual impairment. In South Africa, 0.75% of the population is blind, which is an estimated 360,000 people.
Art as a catalyst for inclusion and change
Inclusive representation in art plays a critical role in validating identities and experiences that have long been ignored or misrepresented. When people see their lives and stories authentically reflected in artistic work, it affirms their place in society and fosters a deeper sense of connection, empathy, and belonging.
The World Unseen exhibition aligns to Canon’s wider philosophy of Kyosei, ‘living and working together for the common good’, embracing cultural differences, promoting diversity, and creating space for a richer, more nuanced understanding of the human experience.
The exhibition showcases a diverse collection of work by globally acclaimed photographers and Canon ambassadors, including multi-award-winning South African photojournalist Brent Stirton, the late Sebastião Salgado renowned Brazilian documentarian, Nigerian photojournalist Yagazie Emezi, acclaimed sports photographer Samo Vidic, fashion photographer Heidi Rondak, and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen.
“The King’s Birthday Party celebrates the relationship between South Africa and the UK and reaffirms our stark promise in confronting challenges of inequality and exclusion – especially where access to photography is involved. This exhibition therefore aligns with our principle of Kyosei, a joint dedication to fostering inclusion and diversity by delivering a unique and empowering experience to South Africa’s visually impaired community,” says Leander Kettledas, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Sustainability Manager Canon representative].
How Canon is helping to make art more accessible
Using its proprietary PRISMAelevate XL software and Arizona printer series, Canon has helped make visual art more accessible to blind and partially sighted individuals. The PRISMAelevate XL software determines which elements of the print will be textured and elevated. The large flat-bed Arizona printers then print the images with an elevation of up to 4mm. Which is enough to feel a difference in the textures of an image or draw a person’s attention to a particular spot. This also applies to printing braille on packaging and signage as well.
A profile is developed through a height map and works across the image, millimetre by millimetre, to achieve the desired result. The principle of elevated printing is simple: very thin layers of UV-curable ink are continuously printed on top of each other until an elevation is achieved. After every layer, the ink is cured using UV lights, which results in a hard, thin layer. A white colour layer and a full-colour layer are then printed on top to create a full-colour print.
In addition, the photographic display in the World Unseen exhibition is enhanced with audio descriptions, immersive soundscapes, and braille, creating a tactile experience that allows visitors to engage more deeply with the powerful images and the stories behind them.
Sighted visitors also gain a unique perspective on visual impairment, with many images deliberately obscured to simulate various conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, offering insight into how art is perceived by those with limited vision. This thoughtful approach not only promotes accessibility in cultural spaces but also highlights how inclusive design can enrich the experience for all audiences.
Throughout the years, Canon has had a longstanding commitment to bringing art to life through innovative print technology. By supporting galleries and museums around the world with tactile prints and braille signage, Canon champions inclusive experiences in the arts. Recent examples include experimental photo exhibitions of a Girl with a Pearl Earring in both Vienna and the Netherlands. This proves a shift in making sure that art goes beyond what meets the eye, it's something to be felt, lived, and deeply experienced.