The project’s proceeds will fund publication of a few books in Braille for visually impaired children. Only the most prominent Ukrainian artists are participating in the art campaign, such as Arsen Savadov, Viktor Sydorenko, Oleksandr Roitburd, Tiberii Silvashi, Vlada Ralko, Illia Chychkan, Kostiantyn Pavlyshyn, Oleksandr Vereshchak, Oleksandr Babak, and Volodymyr Sai.
Conceptually, the exhibition touches on issues of perception and deep understanding of beauty... Of course, the project includes a social component, too, as the organizers use modern art to draw attention to the acute social issue of visually impaired children’s education.
“The name itself, Blinded by Beauty, is not a metaphor. This phrase was the first impetus to organize this project. We had a desire to do something real to help the children learn more about the world around us,” the project director Natalia Shpytkovska stressed.
“Though modern Ukrainian artists avoid calling themselves ‘adepts of beauty,’ thay can, without exaggeration, be called enthusiasts of vivid visuality,” the project curator Viktoria Burlaka noted.
The main organizer of the event is the UART Cultural Diplomacy Foundation. The “Blinded by Beauty” project is supported by the National Assembly of Disabled Persons, Ukrainian Association of Press Publishers, and Talan Group as part of their joint campaign “Read on Equal Terms.”
“Today, when the whole world is talking about Ukrainians’ strong character, we are reminding everyone about the great power of Ukrainian art. This project has brought together our globally-known artists, who serve as a gateway for the world to learn about Ukraine. Our project aims to ensure that no one is forgotten, especially no visually impaired child, as they still want to read, explore the world and participate fully in our society,” the UART Foundation’s chairperson Dmytro Kuleba said.
The exhibition will run until February 28.
