"Visual, sonic, kinetic, and emotive, Finger Talk calls forth a sharpening of senses, in a welcoming arena. Perception comes alive, as do the pleasures of community and connection. Many will leave with hands aflutter".

Mark Sheerin

Finger Talk — Touring Immersive BSL Installation

Finger Talk is a large-scale, immersive British Sign Language (BSL) artwork by Cathy Mager that transforms gallery and festival spaces through deaf-led storytelling, projection, vibration and visual language. Originally presented as a major exhibition attracting 37,000 visitors, the work is designed to travel and can be sensitively adapted to different venues, audience flows and architectural contexts.

Described by critic Mark Sheerin as “an artwork that invites visitors to step out of a hearing-centred world and into a space shaped by deaf perspectives,” Finger Talk offers a powerful, accessible and highly distinctive programme anchor for museums, galleries, festivals and public venues.

At the centre of the installation is a circular immersive environment where visitors are surrounded by projected performers signing a story of loss, loneliness, discovery and kinship. The narrative is expressed through Visual Vernacular — a cinematic sign-language performance form combining gesture, mime and dynamic spatial storytelling. Animated line work drawn from real audiograms — clinical hearing test results donated by deaf participants — forms a moving visual backdrop, reframing medical data as human narrative.

The installation also incorporates:

  • Historic finger-spelling alphabet illustrations dating back to the 17th century, originally created and circulated by deaf people
  • Rare archival film footage showing early social and cultural life in the British Deaf community
  • Contemporary sign performance and animation
  • A specially created soundscape by deaf and disabled musicians, designed with sensitivity for hearing aid users and people with tinnitus
  • Optional haptic/vibration vests that translate sound into physical sensation for a multi-sensory experience

Alongside the core installation, Finger Talk can be presented with a flexible public programme of BSL-led tours, workshops, performances and talks co-curated with deaf artists and collaborators. These can be tailored to local communities, learning programmes and festival formats.

Touring & Adaptation

Finger Talk is built as a modular touring artwork and can be scaled and configured for:

  • Museums and galleries
  • Science and discovery centres
  • Festivals and biennials
  • Heritage and archive settings
  • Education and community venues

Technical setup, footprint and programme elements can be adjusted to suit each site, while maintaining the integrity of the immersive experience.

Ideal for venues seeking:

  • High-impact immersive work
  • Deaf-led and sign-language-centred programming
  • Accessible multi-sensory installations
  • Archival material reimagined through contemporary art
  • Strong audience engagement and public programme potential

For touring enquiries, technical specifications and partnership discussions, please get in touch.

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