Sculpture Without Sight

What will I experience

At Sculpture without Sight, you step blindfolded into a world where sight fades and the senses awaken. Guided by sound, scent, and touch, you shape clay in total darkness—immersed in music and subtle aromas. Here, creation is guided not by what you see, but by what you feel.

Benefits of this experience

Participating in this experience sharpens your attention to the present moment by engaging touch, sound, and smell—building your capacity for mindfulness through focused sensory awareness.

Incorporation in life

You can incorporate learnings by setting aside moments to focus on one sense at a time—like feeling textures without distraction or eating without screens—to build present-moment awareness.

About the destination

Sculpture Without Sight, New York is hosted at Unarthodox—a one-of-a-kind creative space in New York City that merges art, sensory exploration, and self-awareness. This experience invites you to sculpt blindfolded, using only your sense of touch, while surrounded by ambient music and subtle aromas. Designed as a multi-sensory journey, it removes visual distractions so you can tune deeply into your immediate sensory reality—an intentional shift that supports mindfulness and present-moment awareness.

The experience begins with guided sensory warm-ups and basic clay-handling techniques before leading into a 50-minute blindfolded sculpting session. Without the need to produce a finished object, the focus remains on the process—feeling, sensing, and creating from within. Sculptures are not taken home, underscoring the experience as a means of presence, not product.

Unarthodox was founded by Al Montagna and Maria Kordova, two creatives deeply rooted in the belief that art is a universal language for self-expression. Their life mission is to inspire people to live more creatively and joyfully—and Sculpture Without Sight is a direct expression of that vision. It’s a rare space where art becomes not just expression, but deep, sensory-centered wellbeing.

Ancient texts and treatises:

Ancient text name: Chandogya Upanishad (c. 800–600 BCE)

• Context: A principal Upanishad focused on meditation, knowledge, and the connection between the self and the cosmos.
• Mention of Creation through Art: Describes the process of utpatti (creation) as a sacred, meditative act aligned with the flow of universal rhythm (rita). Engaging in intentional creation is seen as a means to cultivate ekagrata (one-pointed focus), a foundational aspect of mindfulness.

Modern scientific research:

Title: Receptive Arts Engagement for Health: A Holistic and Trans-Disciplinary Approach to Creating a Multisensory Environment

• Main Authors: Bliss Cavanagh, Kirsti Haracz, Miranda Lawry, Carole James
• Date of Publishing: 2020
• Abstract: This peer-reviewed article presents a qualitative study examining how multisensory art environments can enhance participant engagement and emotional wellbeing. The authors describe how incorporating sensory stimuli—such as tactile elements, lighting, sound, and scent—into artistic settings fosters relaxation, emotional self-regulation, and positive mental states. The study highlights the potential of such environments for supporting wellbeing beyond clinical populations, including in everyday community spaces.
• Link to the Paper

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