By Erik Chen | Raincross Gazette
September 4, 2026
Photo Credit: Erik Chen
At the Civil Rights Institute, Douglas McCulloh’s landmark exhibition on blind photographers reconsiders whose vision counts as sight.
Sight Unseen Reframed: International Photography by Blind Artists marked its return to Riverside at the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California on August 27, 2026. Originally curated by the late Douglas McCulloh in 2009 as Sight Unseen, the exhibition challenges the traditional views of modern art, believing that every artist – even those with no vision – can see.
McCulloh, an Inland Empire native, was a pioneering photographer in conceptual art, an art form that emphasizes mental construction – an idea that shaped his exploration of blind photography. Spreading awareness on the innovative works of blind photographers, McCulloh curated Sight Unseen in 2009, presenting pieces composed by, according to UCR ARTS, 12 of the most accomplished blind photographers in the world. His curation features the likes of Ralph Baker, Henry Butler, Kurt Weston, Evgen Bavčar and more, to help convey how those who are visually impaired “see.”
