Verbalizing the visual: exploring subjectivity in museum audio description
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24310/ertci.17.2026.22095Keywords:
audio description, Audiovisual translation, subjectivityAbstract
Museum audio description, as a specialised form of intersemiotic mediation, presents specific challenges in the verbal representation of visual art. This study explores the presence of subjectivity in the audio descriptions of paintings by Julio Romero de Torres, analysing its function as an interpretative device. Through a qualitative analysis of the textual corpus, instances of subjectivity have been identified and categorised, distinguishing between those that are justified — anchored in visual, symbolic, or cultural elements — and those that are unjustified, introducing personal judgements or speculative interpretations. The findings suggest that subjectivity, rather than being entirely avoided, can and should be carefully managed to ensure an accessible and rigorous experience that remains open to individual interpretation.
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