Last Seen is a poignant and inspiring creative showcase, pairing vision-impaired Australians with renowned artists and composers to depict their last, or most cherished, visual memory. The multi-sensory exhibition and performance bring to life powerful stories through art, music, soundscapes, and short film.
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On Friday 27th January, the Queensland Eye Institute Foundation and Griffith University officially launched LAST SEEN 2023, a world-first creative showcase.
Joined by the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Leeanne Enoch and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Prof Mark Radford, artists unveiled their works for the first time to participants.
In an emotional and inspirational morning, the project participants mingled and previewed the ten works whilst hearing each other’s powerful and humbling stories first-hand.
QEIF CEO Mark Radford said, “Our participants have compelling stories, with a poignancy that will resonate with us all. They make us stop and think what our last, most memorable vision of this world might be and how different it would be for us all without our sight.”
The audience heard from young Oliver Fanshawe, diagnosed at nine with Peters Anomaly and the youngest recipient of a Seeing Eye Dog, to Santiago who at 25 is the CEO of two companies developing technology to improve accessibility of public transport for people with disability.
The Queensland Government supported Last Seen with funding through the Queensland Arts Showcase Program.
“This world-first creative showcase is an excellent example of how arts can play a key role in supporting important social and health-led outcomes,” Minister Enoch said.
“Last Seen promises to be an inclusive and memorable arts experience featuring talented Queensland artists and sharing impactful stories.”
It’s the only known project of its kind in the world, where the memories form an art exhibition and performance. It is set to be one of the most a personal and emotional creative showcases this year, and It’s Only In Brisbane. The full exhibition opens in April.
Katie Kelly OAM PLY is one of Australia’s most distinguished, gold medalling Para-triathletes. Born with profound hearing loss, specialists did not diagnose her full condition Usher Syndrome until, at age 22, she started to lose her sight. Her last seen memory is the Merewether Baths in Newcastle.
Image description: Katie standing with Artist Tracie Eaton and numerous guests at the launch of Last Seen in Brisbane. The Merewether Bath painting 'Faith' is on display and Katie is standing next to the painting with Tracie and guests.
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