The project began when Tarantino joined a tactile tour organized by the association Radici in Rome. She observed how blind participants explored sculptures through touch, guided by voices and scents that helped form a “tactile image.”
“I had been wanting to make a story about blindness for a long time, but I couldn’t find the right angle,” Tarantino explained. She adapted a technique from photographer Gjon Mili’s 1949 Life magazine series capturing Picasso drawing with light.
To create the images, Tarantino used a long-exposure photograph in total darkness at the Museo Tattile Omero. A blind participant, Stefania Terre, wore a small LED light on her finger while exploring Michelangelo’s David. The 24-second exposure traced her hand movements, visualizing the tactile experience.
“I believe that for a sighted person, it is very difficult to imagine how a blind person ‘sees,’” Tarantino said. The resulting photograph shows David’s face emerging from darkness, with Terre’s hand and faint profile visible.
The work embodies the museum’s slogan “Forbidden not to touch,” illustrating how touch, sound, and intimacy can create a connection with art beyond sight.