Eyes To See Campaign @ Art Basel
HYPERION Hotel Basel – Amsterdam Private Room – Messeplatz 12, 4058 Basel
13 and 14 June 2023
Who says people who are sight impaired can’t enjoy art?
Partners for Patients (PFP. NGO) Eyes To See Campaign @ Art Basel has been designed to showcase dedicated artists who are supporting patients with visual impairment or are visually impaired themselves.
PFP. NGO believes in the art of visual memories. Giving our patients a visual memory and the ability to remember what they see, including colors, patterns and images on the mind’s movie screen improves patients’ lives.
PFP. NGO was established in 1990 and inspired by Tony L. Choon. Tony began to offer free eye and medical care in support of marginalized and underserved communities and residents in the tri-state New York City (NYC) area. Tony expanded the Lion’s Club’s community outreach by founding the Lions Club Glaucoma Day in NYC, in partnership with local NYC hospitals, which served thousands of eye care patients each year.
Through empirical research, we now know that visually impaired patients engage with visual art because the quality of their lives improve.
Art meets science when we look at the evidence base for the enjoyment of art in all its forms. According to a quality of life study conducted by Oxford University, here are some of the benefits of viewing art:
- Decreased stress levels: People who spent 35 minutes or more during their lunch break exploring an art gallery reported feeling less stressed.
- Increased empathy: Students surveyed after visiting an art museum displayed higher social tolerance and increased historical empathy.
- Emotions of love: Neurobiologist, Semi Zeki, found that the brain releases dopamine, the chemical of pleasure, when someone is viewing art.
- Stronger critical thinking skills: Children who visited an art museum experienced a 9-18% increase in critical thinking skills.
- Relief from mental exhaustion: Psychology ProfessorJan Packer’s study found that viewing art helps relieve people of mental exhaustion and restore focus in the same way that the outdoors can.
Claude Monet experienced sight loss and worked on his “Water Lilies” paintings – arguably the series for which he’s most famous. He was registered as blind at the time. Many are surprised to learn that several of the most famous artists of all time were visually impaired, including Monet.
PFP.NGO has a deep respect for the profound capacity as humans to adapt and change.
To honor international artists who stand as patient advocates to help find a cure, PFP.NGO is proud to sponsor an apéro, auction and charity event benefiting patients with impaired vision, as part of Art Basel.
Where: HYPERION Hotel Basel – Amsterdam Private Room (Level 3) – Messeplatz 12, 4058 Basel.
When: 13 and 14 June 2023 1700-2200.
Dress: Artistic.
By invitation only. Private event. Contact us to discuss your interest. 100% of proceeds will support patients with vision care, preventative eye care exams, eyeglasses and management of ocular diseases.
Author: Sarah Tremethick, PFP.NGO Chief Advocacy and Communications Officer – Board of Trustees