New understanding of blindness sparked "in the Dark"

To the sighted, the prospect of blindness can seem catastrophic, and it can be difficult to comprehend the ability of its victims to lead relatively normal lives. But Dialog in the Dark, a traveling exhibit making its U.S. debut at Atlantic Station now through March 1st, is geared towards exposing those of us with sight to the daily experiences of the blind via temporary immersion in their world.

The entire process takes about an hour, and begins in a dim room where the lights are lowered until participants descend into total darkness. Once acclimated to the lack of light, groups are led through several urban scenarios-- including a park, a grocery store, a crowded street and a bar-- by guides who are themselves vision-impaired. It's the blind leading the blinder, honestly, because even with the provided canes it still takes a fair amount of very slow, trial-and-error scrambling and lots of commands to "Follow my voice!" from the guides to maneuver participants from room to room.

With sight eliminated, the only way to explore is by using the other senses. Touch is crucial, because it keeps you from running into walls, railings and fake trees, but smell and sound are also utilized. Luckily, I navigated the exhibition with friends, so it was slightly less awkward when feeling for a wall led to accidental groping. But hey, if you go through with strangers, at least you'll get to know each other real quick-like! (A note to would-be pervs: You may not be able to see each other, but the security cameras can see you. Geez.)

I asked our tour guide-- a down-to-earth, spunky girl named Nicole-- if it felt strange to lead a group of bumbling sighted folk through terrain that was totally familiar and natural to her. She said that there was no sense of superiority in the exhibit, and that the goal is to expose those with sight to the daily struggles of those without. She also emphasized the relative normalcy of blind people's daily lives-- they eat in restaurants, cross streets and go to movies, and Nicole even admitted to a love of roller skating.

At $25, Dialog in the Dark is a bit pricey, but if you've got the cash, it's a fascinating and-- pardon the pun-- eye-opening way to spend an afternoon. For more information, visit DialogTickets.com.

Related links:
Dialog in the Dark International
MyFox Atlanta: Dialog in the Dark Allows Visitors to Experience Darkness
Reuters.com - Groundbreaking Dialog in the Dark Exhibition to make its U.S. debut in Atlanta