Tag: art

To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the New Delhi chapter of the British Council featured an exhibit of photography by the blindearly in December. The key pieces of the exhibit were roughly thirty photos that highlighted the themes and challenges of blind life as well as blind photographers and subjects engaged in all manner of activities, including their normal jobs.

The exhibition was set up by Sightsavers, an NGO that focuses on treating and preventing blindness and engages in advocacy for the blind on social, political, and accessibility levels. Sightsavers has been active in India since 1966, and since then has been able to interact with 53.4 million people, treated eye problems 66.2 million times, and have performed 4.9 million eye surgeries. The photos shown at the British Council were part of a series of exhibitions collectively titled“The Blind View” that also included workshops for blind photographers run by Sightsavers in partnership with the Beyond Sight Foundation and the support of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimiof the royal family of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.

Those with the ability to see think of the art of photography as another part of their ability to see, a way to capture moments to be savored and enjoyed later.

Though the blind suffer a lack of vision, they often enjoy stronger forms of their other senses. The Blind View exhibitions helps bring these experiences to the larger public and pushes against the idea that blindness is only a disability.

For most people, the question remains: how would blind people go about engaging in photography? The answer is that they use their other senses of touch and smell to incorporate the textures and aromas of their subjects into their work. The famed blind photographer Buvesh Patel used such senses when he was commissioned to shoot a Lux Perfume Portraits advertisement featuring Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif.

The website for The Blind View (www.theblindview.in) listed sixteen photographs on its website from which visitors to the site could vote for their favorite. Included among these photos were
famous sites in Delhi such as the India Gate, the QutabMinar and the iron pillar; additionally, there were pictures of a male dancer and of blind people in various day-to-day activities.

The Beyond Sight Foundation—which helps people with vision loss explore the art and hobby of photography—joined with Sightsavers in holding two workshops in Mumbai and Bangalore. Out of these workshops came photographs that were shown to the public in exhibitions in those cities and also in a final event in Delhi. On top of that, they were put up in online exhibitions where anyone can see them.

At the culminating Delhi event, present were Raghu Rai, the famous photojournalist and photographer, RN Mohanty, the of CEO, Sightsavers’ Indian branch, Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council India, and ParthoBhowmick, the founder of the Beyond Sight Foundation.

“This initiative is our effort to showcase the glimpses of the life of a blind person – how they perform their daily chores, how they use assistive technology to their advantage at the office and so on,” explained Mohanty.

Mr Bhowmick added that “The photography workshop took place earlier this year and the participants were trained to click perfect pictures under skilled supervision.” He was quick to point out that “The workshop had also witnessed participation of a renowned visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who did a photo-shoot of Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif.”

“British Council,” Caldicott added,“is delighted to partner with Sightsavers to provide a platform to these amazingly talented photographers to project their work.” Continuing on, he noted that “Sightsavers’ photography exhibition is a great initiative which not only showcases the work and talent of the visually impaired, but also gives a chance to the general public to appreciate the beauty pictured by them in their photographs.”

Sightsavers, in cooperation with Hosla Charitable Trust, also included a musical performance from blind singers at the photography exhibit. The exhibit closed out with various activities for those in attendance that allowed them to experience various aspects of life for the visually impaired.

Sightsavers—an NGO that works towards treating and preventing blindness and inadvocacy for the visually impaired on social, political, and accessibility levels—set up an exhibition just this past December of photographs taken by bling photographers. The exhibit took place at the New Delhi branch of the British Council during the week of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an event that bring attention to the plight of persons with disabilities all over the world. The photos were selected as part of “The Blind View” campaign, a series of exhibitions featuring photography produced by blind photographers put together by Sightsavers and the Beyond Sight Foundation with the patronage of Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi.

Padmashree Raghu Rai, the famous photographer and photojournalist, was present, as was RN Mohanty, the CEO of Sightsavers’ Indian branch, Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council India, and ParthoBhowmick, Founder of the Beyond Sight Foundation.

At the center of the exhibition were roughly thirty photographs taken by blind photography enthusiasts. These pictures portrayed various themes regarding life for the visually impaired as well as visually impaired subjects engaging in a number of different activities. Each photograph showed a unique aspect of the blind experience to viewers.

RN Mohanty noted that “This initiative is our effort to showcase the glimpses of the life of a blind person: how they perform their daily chores, how do they use assistive technology to their advantage at the office and so on…”
Mr. Bhowmick discussed the process of the workshop, remarking that “The photography workshop took place earlier this year and the participants were trained to click perfect pictures under skilled supervision. The workshop had also witnessed participation of a renowned visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who did a photo-shoot of Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif.”

“British Council is delighted to partner with Sightsavers to provide a platform to these amazingly talented photographers to project their work,” said Gill Calidcott. She added that“Sightsavers’ photography exhibition is a great initiative which not only showcases the work and talent of the visually impaired, but also gives a chance to the general public to appreciate the beauty pictured by them in their photographs.”

In addition to the workshop conducted in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore also held workshops that produced photographs that contributed to the exhibitions. Screenings were held for VIPs as well as the general public. Sightsavers even made arrangements for visually impaired singers to musically entertain exhibit-goers, a perfect complement to the blind photographers’ work that was being featured. The musical performance came about as a result of a joint effort with the Hosla Charitable Trust. The exhibit concluded with activities designed to give exhibit attendees a taste of life from the perspective of the visually impaired.

About Sightsavers:
Sightsavers is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities. The organisation has been working in India since 1966. Sightsavers in India to date has been successful in reaching out to 53.4 million people, conducting 36.2 million eye treatments, performing 4.9 million eye operations.

For more information, log on to www.sightsaversindia.in.

For further information, contact psLIVE PR:
Tina – 8130873539 / Gargi – 9650944756
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Vandana M, Associate Group Head, LinOpiniongh at + 91 9999479947

Bangalore, 18th September, 2015: Sightsavers, an NGO that works to keep people from developing blindness, helps return sight to those with visual impairments when possible, and that also that also lobbies governments and societies for better political and social treatment of the disabled, recently set up a photography workshop for blind photography enthusiasts, which was held at the Press Club in Bangalore. The workshop, along with others in a series of workshops being held throughout India, is titled “The Blind View” and aims to raise awareness of the issues, perspectives, and sensations surrounding blindness. The first in the series was held in Mumbai, and the series is being held in partnership with the Beyond Sight Foundation and with the sponsorship of Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi.

Mr. Amal Gupta, Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Sightsavers (India), made sure to express his and his organization’s main goals and philosophy when he explained that “Our main motto to organize the event is to showcase the ability of disabled people and raise awareness and the importance of social inclusion of people with visual impairment. We hope to make a difference in society by this initiative and spread happiness & imbibe confidence amongst the people with vision loss.”

Adding his own thoughts about the workshop, Mr. ParthoBhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF), expressed his own enthusiasm for the project. Specifically, he remarked that “We are very pleased to have conducted such unique workshops, first in Mumbai and now in Bangalore, for these maturing photographers in partnership with Sightsavers. The participants are being trained to click photos which will be showcased at a popular mall in Bangalore and finally at a gala exhibition later this year scheduled to take place in Delhi. The key objective behind this innovative initiative was to look beyond blindness and motivate the participants to believe in themselves and pursue their interest.”

At least five visually impaired individuals with a passion for photography and an eagerness to develop photography skills engaged in the workshop and were trained by photography experts to hone their skills. Another treat for the workshop attendees was the participation of well-known visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who most recently did work for a Lux advertising campaign featuring Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif.

About Sightsavers:
Sightsavers is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities. The organization has been working in India since 1966. Sightsavers in India till date has been successful in reaching out to 53.4 million people, conducting 36.2 million eye treatments, performing 4.9 million eye operations.

For more information, go to www.sightsaversindia.in

For media queries, kindly contact psLIVE PR@:
Navin Nair | navin.nair@psliveglobal.com | 9845094507
Harish Kumar| harish.kumar@psliveglobal.com | 9535112332

~Event supported by Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimiand the Beyond Sight Foundation~

Proving true the idea that there is always another perspective, Sightsavers, recently organised a photography exhibition of photos taken by visually impaired photographers at the Inorbit Mall (Malad), Mumbai. Sightsavers is a development organisationthat works on various issues related to blindness, including preventing blindness, restoring sight, and advocating for disabled people. The photos displayed at the Inorbit Mallare all part of a socially-cutting-edgephotography summer workshop initiated by Sightsavers in association with the Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF) for visually impaired photography enthusiasts and is being supported by Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi. The campaign’s title is “The Blind View,” the featured artists all part of the Sightavers/BSF workshop.

Mr. RN Mohanty CEO, Sightsavers India,made a passionate case for why his organization was so behind this project: “Our society still doesn’t know the actual problems faced by a visually impaired person. Also, they may think that a blind person becomes a liability to his/her family. Sightsavers intends to change this view and show that even a blind person can become independent and pursue his interests.” In this case, Mohanty’s organization is showing the artistic side of an often neglected and marginalized people, helping to fight this neglect and marginalization.
Speaking to the idea that “The Blind View” can be a way to connect different groups in society together with each other, Mr. ParthoBhowmick, who founded BSF, explained that “This exhibition can be a connecting link between the abled and disabled. It will help people understand the world of a blind person from a clearer perspective.” BSF hopes that the art can inspire even more relationships and cooperative enterprises, artistic or otherwise, between the disabled and others.

The famous Bhavesh Patel, who is a visually challenged photographer, recently shot photos of Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif for a professional shoot. Speaking the thoughts of many visually impaired people, he exclaimed:“We are a part of this society and ‘sympathy’ is not what we are asking for. We just want to be treated like any other normal human being in the society. This is a great platform to let people take a look at our ‘vision’.”

When the Mumbai summer workshop was completed, 20 photos covering 7 unique themes were shortlisted each providing a unique vision on top of a unique vision. Rather than have the visually impaired workshop participants photograph just anything, instead the workshop members photograph other members engaging in various activities. The individual pictures each showcase different aspects of life for the visually impaired and highlight their own narrative story.

The exhibition hardly stopped there; beyond showcasing photography, in addition to the photo exhibition, other activities were offered that highlighted additional aspects of life for blind people and the experience of being blind.

AsAmal Gupta, the Senior Managerfor Brand& Communications, Sightsavers, explains: “This exhibition is our effort to showcase the glimpses of the life of a blind person – how they perform their daily chores, how do they commute to office and so on…” The exhibition was able to do all that and more in the eyes of many.
About Sightsavers:

Sightsavers is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities. The organization has been working in India since 1966. Sightsavers in India till date has been successful in reaching out to 53.4 million people, conducting 36.2 million eye treatments, performing 4.9 million eye operations. For more information, log on to www.sightsaversindia.in.

For media queries, kindly contact psLIVE PR@:
NamrataAswani | namrata.aswani@psliveglobal.com | +91 9920710261
Bhagyashri Shetty| bhagyashri.shetty@psliveglobal.com | +91 9167082414
AmoliHindlekar| amoli.hindlekar@psliveglobal.com | +91 9664699127

The New Delhi blind photography exhibition took place at the British Council on the 1st and 2nd of December to mark the international day for people with disabilities.

In this event, participants with impaired vision were given a chance to showcase their photo taking abilities. The exhibition displayed about 30 photographs of blind persons portraying diverse activities done by them, including their day-to-day work.

The organizer of the event was Sightsavers, an acknowledged, charitable organization that aims at preventing unnecessary blindness, in addition to advocating for the social participation and equal treatment of disabled people.

The photographs displayed in the exhibition were part of a campaign named ‘The Blind View’, a photography workshop that was started by Sightsavers and Beyond Sight Foundation for the fanatics of blind photography. The exhibition benefitted from the support of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi, who comes from the royal family of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimahin the United Arab Emirates.

People with normal visual ability ignorantlyregard photography to be simply an extension of sight: a way of capturing and preserving memories and events. They are oblivious of the fact that the blind are gifted with the ability to use other senses to build a deeper awareness of their surroundings. The Blind View project sought to bring these unique abilities of the blind to reality in order to confront the widespread notions on disability.

How can blind people take photographs? Visually impaired persons achieve this by using the senses of touch, smell and textures. These senses are behind the successful photo shoot of Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actor, done by the visually impaired photographer, Bhuvesh Patel, for use in the Lux Perfume Portraits campaign advert.

The Blind View has displayed 16 photographs taken by some of the participants on their website where visitors can vote for the best photo. These photographs include images of popular tourist attractions in Delhi such as India Gate, the Qutab Minar and the iron pillar, a male dancer and several pictures of the blind doing activities like working on a laptop and taking photos of an old camera.

Sightsavers, in collaboration with the Beyond Sight Foundation, a photography enterprise for blind people, organized two photography workshops for people living with visual impairment. The workshops took place in Mumbai and Bangalore and culminated in an event in Delhi. Photographs taken by participants were publicly exhibited in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and in online virtual galleries.

Some of the notable personalities who attended the events were Partho Bhowmick, the founder of Beyond Sight Foundation; RN Mohanty, the CEO of Sightsavers (India); and Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council India.

The director of Sightsavers, Mr. Mohanty, stated that the aim of the project was to display the day to day activities of the visually impaired, how assistive technology helps them do their work, etc.

Mr. Bhowmick commented on the workshops that had taken place earlier in the year, stating that the participants received training on how to take perfect photos under the supervision of skilled experts. He added that the events had seen the participation of the popular blind photographer, Bhuvesh Patel, who recently did a photo shoot of Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actress.

According to Caldicott, the British Council was pleased to work with Sightsavers in providing a platform where the incredibly gifted blind photographers could display their work. He added that the exhibition was not only a display of the blind photographers’ talent but also a way of helping the general public to appreciate the abilities of the visually impaired.

Besides the exhibition, Sightsavers also arranged a musical performance that featured talented blind singers. The Hosla Charitable Trust collaborated with Sightsavers in conducting the performance. The event’s conclusion featured fun-filled and entertaining activities that let the visitors reflect on their perceptions towards visually impaired persons and gave them a chance to evaluate a blind person’s life.

Since 1966, Sightsavers has successfully inspired 53.4 million people in India, treating the eyes of 36.2 million people, and performing 4.9 million eye operations.

Sightsavers is a NGO that deals with preventing avoidable blindness. The organization campaigns for equal rights for the disabled. The Bangalore showcase came after the successful first workshop that took place in Mumbai. The Blind View is being carried out in alliance with Beyond Sight Foundation. The association is under the support of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi. The Senior Manager, Mr. Amal Gupta, Sightsavers (India), remarked that their primary motto was to raise awareness, encourage social inclusion of the disabled as well as show the capabilities of those who are visually impaired. He added that they aim at making a difference through the campaign and also spread happiness,and confidence among those with visual disabilities.

Consequently, Mr. Partho Bhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF), commented that the organization proudly conducted the showcase initially in Mumbai then in Bangalore for the talented photographers in conjunction with Sightsavers. The workshop photographers are being trained to snap photos which will be displayed at a popular mall in Bangalore and later at a gala exhibition scheduled to take place in Delhi. The inventive primary objective of the exhibition was to promote self-confidence and encourage the interests for the visually impaired. Those trained to click perfect pictures were five of the participants with the supervision of proficient experts. The famous visually impaired photographer, Bhavesh Patel, who did a photo shoot of Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif was present at the workshop.