Monday, February 7, 2011

手話の顔 日本映像人類学 写真展 (Sign Language Faces: A Visual Anthropology of Japan Photo Exhibition)


VAOJ is holding a photo exhibition at the NPO Deaf Support Osaka Gallery starting today, February 7, for at least a month. Here is the abstract:

Sign language entails the use of the entire body. Facial expression as a non-manual sign (NMS) not only conveys meaning, it also plays a crucial role in the grammar of sign language. This photo exhibition illustrates the natural and grammatical facial expressions of members of Atolier Sign Language Circle in Hirakata-shi, Osaka. Atolier teaches and advocates the use of Japanese Sign Language as the first language of deaf people in Japan. Correct use of facial expression is an important and perhaps the most complicated component of sign language study.

Click to enlarge the image below and see the abstract in Japanese, along with a map to Deaf Support Osaka.


I am especially excited about this exhibition as it brings together my interests in deafness, sign language and visual representation. Please note that the gallery is closed on Sundays, Mondays and national holidays. Come and check out the exhibition! Yoroshiku!

Link to NPO Deaf Support Osaka (in Japanese):
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~deafnet/

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