Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi | Aiding Others

The Blind View: New Visions, Hidden Perspectives with Help of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi

A Photography Project by Blind People

Our modern, mobile, internet connected devices—laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc.—have come to play an increasingly important, now even dominant, role in modern life. The degree to which modern human eyes are glued to screens is unprecedented,with millions developing unacknowledged addictions to these devices. In a modern culture that so heavily operates on sight, where so much human interaction is now across vast distances through internet-connected devices, it can be hard for many to imagine a life without sight.But there are other ways to experience life, and our modern perspective needs more help than ever appreciating these other viewpoints.

The Blind View, an exhibition by Sightsavers, is just the help we needed.

“Though I’ve lost my sight, I haven’t lost my vision.”

Those living with impaired vision rely more heavily on other senses to experience life. What if those with eyesight could “see’ what the blind ‘see?”

The art of photography is an entire art dedicated to seeing. Those able to use their eyes fully generally see photography as a way to freeze moments in time, available on demand and to be shared freely. Most people are not aware that there are other ways to experience the world; what if they could sense, feel, touch, smell, and hear the world the way blind people do, experiencing moments with those heightened senses?What if they could find an exhibit that showcases a new type of photography with which they are completely unfamiliar, one that is a product of and about people who are blind?

The Blind View exists to answer this very question. Its primary purpose is to pull in and surprise people with a photography exhibition that both carries a deep emotional impact and one that gets people to think about what life is like for the blind and how people can better accommodate their blind brothers and sisters. People with visual impairments may lack the quality of eyesight possessed by the vast majority of people, but their other senses are usually enhanced relative to the rest of humanity.The photos exhibited by The Blind Viewhelps to tell the wider public about all of this, helping to challenge the dominant societal view that being blind is simply a disability

Sightsavers, in partnership with Beyond Sight Foundation – a project designed to help blind people – is going to be holding two workshops in India: one in Mumbai in June and one in Bangalore in September. The photography created as part of these sessions will soon be on display in exhibits in each city and also online. The whole process will peakwith a final gala event in Delhi. Backed with mixed media promotional campaigns and public participation that involves both voting on the photographs experiencing life from a visually impaired perspective, The Blind View will bring much public attention to the issues confronting blind people as well as the work and mission of Sightsavers.

Our campaign website www.theblindview.in contains more details, be sure to visit it.

Photography Workshop for Visually Impaired Photography Enthusiasts – with the Help of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi

Mumbai, 25th June 2015: A Photography workshop for visually impaired fans of photography was held at the Press Club in Mumbai by Sightsavers, an NGO whose mission is to assist the visually impaired by helping to press for social and political equality/accessibility for the blind. Sightsavers also helps to restore sight and prevent blindness.

This Mumbai workshop was the first of a number of workshops to be held throughout India. The workshops together represent a collective effort titled‘The Blind View’that is being done in cooperation with the Beyond Sight Foundation and is also being sponsored by Her Highness SheikhaArwa Al Qassimi.

After the workshop, a very pleased Mr. Partho Bhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation (BSF), remarked that “We are very pleased to have conducted such a unique workshop for these maturing photographers in partnership with Sightsavers. The participants are being trained to click photos highlighting their day-to-day life and the best photographs will be showcased in an exhibition later this year. The key objective behind this innovative initiative was to look beyond blindness and motivate the participants to believe in themselves and pursue their interest.”

The visually impaired participants had the benefit of being trained by professional photographers and the workshop also featured the participation of the famous visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who was coming off of a recent photoshoot for Lux with Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif.

Mr. Amal Gupta, Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Sightsavers, expressed his organization’s mission when he noted that “Our main motto to organize the event was to showcase the ability of disabled people and to offer an enabling environment to the visually challenged, then they can contribute to the economy rather than being dependent on it.”

The eagerness and energy of the participants for the workshop was noticed by Mr. RN Mohanty, CEO Sightsavers (India). Speaking of the workshop, he said that he “would personally like to wish each participant all the very best in their future and endeavours.”

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

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Photography by the blind present us with a unique glimpse into their world, with the help of her Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi

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.

Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi Supports Sightsavers BSF in Exhibiting Photographs Captured by the Visually Impaired at the British Council in the Week of World Disability Day

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.

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Sightsavers Organises ‘The Blind View’ – A Photography Workshop for Visually Impaired Photography Enthusiasts in Bangalore, Partly Sponsored by Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi

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.

For more information, go to www.sightsaversindia.in

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Sightsavers Shows a Different Vision of Life by Showcasing Photos of Visually Impaired Artists

~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.

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