An exhibition of photographs taken by blind people was organized by Sightsavers at the British Council during the week of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, which is marked annually on the 3rd of December. During that week, people with impaired vision were given a chance to showcase their photography. The exhibition displayed about 30 photographs portraying diverse themes captured by the blind and represented various aspects of their day- to- day lives. These photographs had been taken during the photography workshops hosted earlier in the year by Sightsavers in Mumbai and Bangalore, where they were also exhibited. The photographs featured popular Delhi landmarks like the Qutab Minar, India Gate, and the iron pillar. Sixteen of the photographs were also uploaded to the Blind View website (www.theblindview.in), where visitors are allowed to vote for their favorite photograph.
The exhibition was part of ‘The Blind View’ campaign that had been initiated by Sightsavers alongside the Beyond Sight Foundation and was meant for blind photography enthusiasts. The exhibition, which was a success, received support from Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi of the royal family of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.
People with normal eye sight regard photography as simply an extension of sight, as a way of capturing moments and events. However, the blind are gifted with the ability to use other senses to gain keener awareness. The Blind View project is meant to highlight abilities and talents of the visually impaired and to confront the misinformed perceptions on disability.
One may wonder how the visually impaired manage photography. They do so by using senses of touch, smell and textures. These senses, for example, enable Bhuvesh Patel, a well-known blind photographer, to take photos. Notably, the famous photographer earned credit on his video shoot of Actress Katrina Kaif for the Lux Perfume Portraits campaign.
The event was graced by Padmashree recipient Raghu Rai, the popular photographer and photojournalist; Partho Bhowmick, the founder of Beyond Sight Foundation; RN Mohanty, the CEO of Sightsavers (India); and Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council India.
According to the director of Sightsavers- Mr. Mohanty, the aim of the project was to display the day to day activities of the visually impaired and how assistive technology helps them do their work.
Mr. Bhowmick commented on the workshops that had taken place earlier in the year, saying 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.
Caldicott, on the other hand, noted that 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.
Sightsavers also arranged a musical concert that featured visually impaired singers. The musical performance was held in collaboration with Hosla Charitable Trust. The event prompted visitorsto change their perceptions on visually impaired persons and gave them a chance to evaluate a blind person’s life.
Beginning from 1966, Sightsavers has changed the lives of 53.4 million Indians, treating the eyes of 36.2 million people, and performing 4.9 million eye operations.
