Waterloo’s Robert Langen Art Gallery at Wilfrid Laurier University announced on December 17, 2025 that it will present Haptic Voices during its Winter 2026 term. The multi-sensory show uses a 10-channel vibrotactile wall to turn global voices into physical vibrations. It opens in January on the main floor of the Laurier Library and is designed to bring accessible art to Deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing audiences.
The installation lets visitors stand against or touch a custom wall that converts sound into vibrations. By feeling rather than hearing, people can experience voice, music and recorded sounds through touch.
The exhibit was created by artists David Bobier and Jim Ruxton of VibraFusionLab. Bobier founded the London, Ontario–based VibraFusionLab in 2014 and is a self-identified hard-of-hearing media artist whose work focuses on multi-modal expression. Ruxton, an artist and engineer, developed the transducer system that enables the vibrotactile wall.
Suzanne Luke, curator of the Robert Langen Art Gallery, has overseen programming that emphasizes inclusive and socially relevant work; Haptic Voices is listed as a central exhibition in RLAG’s Winter 2026 schedule and is presented January through April in Waterloo. A public reception is planned for an early Wednesday evening in January (date to be announced).
