Lord Blunkett sculpture aims to raise awareness of visual impairment

Lord David Blunkett – the UK’s first blind cabinet minister – has been celebrated with a bronze bust. The statue was unveiled at the House of Lords by CEO of Fight for Sight, Keith Valentine, earlier this month (14 October).

The sculpture was revealed during a special event hosted by Fight for Sight to celebrate the achievements of people with vision loss, ahead of Disability History Month, which runs from 14 November to 20 December.

Valentine said the bust of Lord Blunkett was “a reminder of the world we aspire to build, where opportunity and participation are open to all.”

“This sculpture represents meaningful progress on that journey – a tangible step towards ensuring that accessibility is recognised as a fundamental necessity, not an afterthought,” he added

It is the first instalment in the House of Lords that is tactile and also has an audio button, enabling people to experience the artwork through touch as well as sight.

Now on temporary loan to the Royal Gallery, the bust was created bysculptor and Fight for Sight vice president, Frances Segelman.

Segelman captured Lord Blunkett using clay during a live “speed sculpting” event at the House of Lords in 2022, which aimed to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic abuse experienced by people with vision loss. The bust was completed in just two hours in front of an audience, and was later cast in bronze.

Speaking at the event, Lord Blunkett said:“It’s a real honour to be represented in this way, and especially through awork of artthat can be experienced by touch as well as sight.

“Every journeyby individuals who are blind and partially sightedis unique – no two stories are the same, but what unites us is the determination to live full, independent lives and to make a contribution.”

“I hope this sculpture helps spark conversations about what vision impaired people can achieve and reminds us that difference should never mean limitation,” he added.

The event was hosted for Fight for Sight by Lord Faulkner, chair of the Lord Speaker’s Advisory Panel on Works of Art.

In attendance was MP for Battersea, Marsha de Cordova, who has retinitis pigmentosa and has spoken publicly about how Lord Blunkett inspired her, and MP for Torbay, Steve Darling, who is registered blind.