Bankinter and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum make art more accessible with subtitled sign language guides
- The agreement between the two entities, signed at the time by Bankinter chairman, Pedro Guerrero, and the managing director of the museum, Evelio Acevedo, makes it possible for people with hearing impairments to enjoy a selection of 50 masterpieces from the permanent collection.
- These portable multimedia devices, which integrate sign language and subtitles, are now available at the museum for visitors who require them.
Opening of the new accessible route at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, thanks to the agreement signed in March between the institution and Bankinter chairman, Pedro Guerrero. The new sign language guides are now available to all visitors who require them, with an itinerary that includes 50 representative works from the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection, in a portable multimedia device integrating sign language and subtitles.
Thanks to Bankinter's support, 32 works have been added in this format to the existing 18. This has made it possible for people with hearing impairments or hearing loss to take an essential museum tour. They can now contemplate the works and find out more about them in a completely autonomous way. This work, aimed at extending and improving the accessibility of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, was initiated by EducaThyssen in 2009.
The route is conveniently indicated on the signs for the paintings, which include masterpieces such as the Annunciation Diptych by Jan van Eyck; Portrait of Giovanna degli Albizzi Tornabuoni, by Ghirlandaio; Venus and Cupid, by Rubens; Waterloo Bridge, by André Derain; Les Vessenots en Auvers, by Vincent van Gogh, or Hotel room, by Edward Hopper.
The expansion of the sign language guides is an example of the commitment of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum and Bankinter to accessibility in visits for the deaf and hard of hearing, the latter represented by Alma Ruiz de Alegría, creator and promoter of Soul & Alegría, culture and art for all ears. This entity works on the accessibility of this group and on facilitating their access to culture, and has participated in the creation, advice and intermediation of the project. Work has been done with the support of the Federation of Deaf People of the Community of Madrid (FeSorCam) in the translation of the audio guides into sign language and in the production of the videos.
At the presentation of these sign language guides, Pedro Guerrero, Bankinter chairman, said: “The agreement with the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum fills us with satisfaction because it is one of the outstanding social outreach actions that we have carried out at Bankinter this year and is part of the social dimension of our Sustainability Plan 2021-2023”. And he added: “We thus share with the museum the same commitment to accessibility, which is highly relevant because we help the integration of those people with hearing disabilities. In this particular case, we make it easier for them to enjoy art, an area that is perhaps less intangible than others, and often forgotten, but no less important for that reason”.
Meanwhile, Evelio Acevedo, managing director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, highlighted the following: “For us, a goal has been and continues to be to be everyone's museum. And in that respect, we have to think about all kinds of audiences, all kinds of publics, who also hope to learn about the collection and enjoy it. We are announcing a further step in that direction”.
And he recalled that “the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is a public museum with a collection that belongs to all Spaniards. But our work, our public service, our work in favor of the community, would not be possible on many occasions if we did not also have the collaboration of private institutions. On this occasion, Bankinter, sharing this concern and this desire to make culture more accessible to all audiences, has collaborated to enable this expansion of content proposed today”.
“Enjoy the museum without barriers”
For her part, María Paramés, director of People Management, Quality and Corporate Communication at Bankinter, stated: “The agreement signed by Bankinter chairman, Pedro Guerrero, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opens up opportunities for people with hearing impairments to enjoy the museum without any barriers. Within Bankinter, as part of our sustainability strategy, we have worked to make it a bank for everyone, to be a bank that serves customers in an inclusive manner”.
María Quintas, from the museum's Education Department, the driving force behind this initiative, explains: “We wanted to expand the museum's subtitled sign language guide with thirty-two works. We have chosen works from the different periods covered in the collection, masterpieces and also works made by women. From the museum's Education area we need the content to be accessible to both hearing impaired and deaf-signing people”.
Full video presentation:
Thanks to Bankinter's support, 32 works have been added in this format to the existing 18. This has made it possible for people with hearing impairments or hearing loss to take an essential museum tour. They can now contemplate the works and find out more about them in a completely autonomous way. This work, aimed at extending and improving the accessibility of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, was initiated by EducaThyssen in 2009.
The route is conveniently indicated on the signs for the paintings, which include masterpieces such as the Annunciation Diptych by Jan van Eyck; Portrait of Giovanna degli Albizzi Tornabuoni, by Ghirlandaio; Venus and Cupid, by Rubens; Waterloo Bridge, by André Derain; Les Vessenots en Auvers, by Vincent van Gogh, or Hotel room, by Edward Hopper.
The expansion of the sign language guides is an example of the commitment of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum and Bankinter to accessibility in visits for the deaf and hard of hearing, the latter represented by Alma Ruiz de Alegría, creator and promoter of Soul & Alegría, culture and art for all ears. This entity works on the accessibility of this group and on facilitating their access to culture, and has participated in the creation, advice and intermediation of the project. Work has been done with the support of the Federation of Deaf People of the Community of Madrid (FeSorCam) in the translation of the audio guides into sign language and in the production of the videos.
At the presentation of these sign language guides, Pedro Guerrero, Bankinter chairman, said: “The agreement with the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum fills us with satisfaction because it is one of the outstanding social outreach actions that we have carried out at Bankinter this year and is part of the social dimension of our Sustainability Plan 2021-2023”. And he added: “We thus share with the museum the same commitment to accessibility, which is highly relevant because we help the integration of those people with hearing disabilities. In this particular case, we make it easier for them to enjoy art, an area that is perhaps less intangible than others, and often forgotten, but no less important for that reason”.
Meanwhile, Evelio Acevedo, managing director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, highlighted the following: “For us, a goal has been and continues to be to be everyone's museum. And in that respect, we have to think about all kinds of audiences, all kinds of publics, who also hope to learn about the collection and enjoy it. We are announcing a further step in that direction”.
And he recalled that “the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is a public museum with a collection that belongs to all Spaniards. But our work, our public service, our work in favor of the community, would not be possible on many occasions if we did not also have the collaboration of private institutions. On this occasion, Bankinter, sharing this concern and this desire to make culture more accessible to all audiences, has collaborated to enable this expansion of content proposed today”.
“Enjoy the museum without barriers”
For her part, María Paramés, director of People Management, Quality and Corporate Communication at Bankinter, stated: “The agreement signed by Bankinter chairman, Pedro Guerrero, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opens up opportunities for people with hearing impairments to enjoy the museum without any barriers. Within Bankinter, as part of our sustainability strategy, we have worked to make it a bank for everyone, to be a bank that serves customers in an inclusive manner”.
María Quintas, from the museum's Education Department, the driving force behind this initiative, explains: “We wanted to expand the museum's subtitled sign language guide with thirty-two works. We have chosen works from the different periods covered in the collection, masterpieces and also works made by women. From the museum's Education area we need the content to be accessible to both hearing impaired and deaf-signing people”.