DABF25 Publishing Talk | Exhibiting for Multiple Senses

How can artistic and curatorial research practices emphasize the multisensory character of bodily encounters with artworks? Join art historian, researcher and author Eva Fotiadi (Caradt Institute, NL) and artist and researcher Renata Pękowska for a discussion about the new book Exhibiting for Multiple Senses: Art and Curating for Sensory-Diverse Bodies (Valiz, 2025). Numerous contemporary artists and curators have moved beyond the primacy of the visual in the experience of art exhibitions. The book discusses this shift by bringing together experimental exhibition-making, curatorial theory, art, design, and museum research, disability activism and crip theory. Its intent is to demonstrate resonances between curatorial theory and practice.

Exhibiting for Multiple Senses shares famous and lesser-known examples of experimental exhibitions as well as of artistic practices linked to exhibitions. By mobilizing the senses of touch, smell, taste, and hearing, as well as applications of multimodal technologies and insights from neuroscience, it explores abilities and possibilities of the complex and diverse sensory apparatus that is the human body in the context of and applied to curatorial and artistic practices.

This event is part of the DABF Publishing Talks Series which is supported by the Creative Europe Desk Ireland. The Creative Europe programme supports a diverse literature and publishing sector across Europe, funding writers, translators, publishers, and the distributors of European works of Literature.

Eva Fotiadi (PhD) is a historian of contemporary art based in the Netherlands. She is a researcher at the Avans Centre for Applied Research in Art, Design and Technology and a lecturer at St. Joost School of Art & Design. Her current research focuses on multisensory experiences in art exhibitions, with an emphasis on disability art and activism. This work builds on her previous research into interdisciplinary, participatory, and public art, as well as exhibition histories.

Renata Pękowska is a visual artist and researcher based in Dublin, currently a Government of Ireland Scholar PhD Researcher at TU Dublin. Her background includes architectural studies, BDes in craft design (NCAD), MA ACW (NCAD), MA in UI/UX design (TU Dublin), she is also a trained shadow puppeteer. Her research interests cover a wide range of visual culture related topics, including book arts, light installations, digital and analogue audio-visual performance and traditional crafts. Her current research project interrogates shared drawing situations of sensory response.

Dublin Art Book Fair (4–14 December 2025) is a centre for contemporary artist books offering a wide selection of artist publications and titles from creative, small and independent publishers, both Irish or international, to browse or buy. In conjunction with the Fair, DABF presents an event programme of book launches, publishers talks, and workshops offering ways to engage and gain insight into contemporary independent and arts publishing.

Event location information: This event will take place on the first floor accessible via lift and stairs. Seating will be theatre style. For further accessibility information please contact Learning + Public Engagement Curator Órla Goodwin.

DABF25 is proudly sponsored by Henry J Lyons and supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and RTÉ Supporting The Arts.