The interesting premise of The Disordered Eye (4 November) is that in fact there is no such thing in art or life as a disordered eye (or, for that matter, an ordered one): because what we think we see is as much about our knowledge of the world as it is about the workings of the optical nerve, and we are interpreting the world from what we already understand of it. Or, as presenter Richard Butchins puts it, “we see with our brains”.

The Disordered Eye
BBC Four

The interesting premise of The Disordered Eye (4 November) is that in fact there is no such thing in art or life as a disordered eye (or, for that matter, an ordered one): because what we think we see is as much about our knowledge of the world as it is about the workings of the optical nerve, and we are interpreting the world from what we already understand of it. Or, as presenter Richard Butchins puts it, “we see with our brains”.

As a disabled film-maker (or in his own words, “neuro-divergent” – he lost the use of his arm after a childhood bout of polio) Butchins is interested in how what we are led to think is a deficiency – in this case the impairment of sight – can become the source of inspiration, revealing a whole new way of experiencing the material world.

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading

Register for free to read this article in full

REGISTER

Subscribe for unlimited access

SUBSCRIBE NOW

From just £37.50 quarterly

  Print copy of The Tablet delivered directly to your door.
  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  Access to the weekly digital copy of The Tablet.
  Full access to The Tablet’s archive – over 180 years of back issues.

Already a subscriber? Login