Starring in the movie “Hands Touch the World”

The documentary film featuring the Museo Omero has its first screening in Japan.

"Touch a sculpture with your hands, in order to perceive a piece of this world. I came across a photograph of a man embracing a sculpture. And I wanted to know why he touches it so lovingly."

These comments by Koko Okano, the Japanese director, who has visited Italy and the Museo Omero several times in recent years, summarise the history of the idea that led to the creation of an entirely tactile museum – a place where you can experience the perception of art beyond the supremacy of vision.
Koko, who has worked as a museum manager in Japan for many years, was struck by our special museum. She constructed the film by spending time with its founders, Aldo and Daniela, listening to the staff discuss their accumulated expertise and filming our activities. She also researched similar instances in Italy.

The resulting 60-minute documentary, "Hands touch the world", will be premiered at the Vangi Museum in Shizuoka on 26 November, then shown at the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art on 3 December and at the National Art Centre in Tokyo on 4 December.

In order that everyone, including people with visual impairments and people with hearing impairments, can fully enjoy the film, the screening will be offered with audio description and Japanese subtitles thanks to the collaboration of CINEMA Chupki TABATA.

Koko Okano

Born in 1973, Koko completed the Masters of Arts and Art Education programme at Columbia University Graduate School. She designed the "Senso di Meraviglia - in un altro giardino" (Sense of Wonder - in another garden) and the "Tutti hanno bisogno di una pietra - Vedere il mondo attraverso gli occhi e le mani" (Everyone needs a stone - Seeing the world through eyes and hands) exhibitions at the Vangi Museum. She conducts research on the possibilities of art education founded on senses other than sight.

Film notes

Year of production: 2022.
Country of production: Japan.
Run time: 60 minutes.
Original language: Japanese, Italian.
Direction and Camerawork: Koko Okano.
Editing: Yuzuru Hayakawa (polepoletimes).
Director's assistant: Marco Campagna.
Subtitle translation: Naome Asaoka.
Music: Umitaro Abe, Maki Nakano/Yann Pittard.
Advertising art: Koji Ise, Ai Komagata.
Website: Rui Ishiguro (gm projects).
Still photography: Koko Okano.
Production: Pangolin art.
With the collaboration of: Museo Tattile Statale Omero, MART - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto, polepoletimes, Vangi Museum.