St John Vision 20/20 exhibition

St John South Africa, well-known internationally for first-aid training and related services, is hosting a touring photographic exhibition to promote the work conducted in the field of eye care and the impact this work has had on the lives of everyday South Africans, which comes to the Durban Art Gallery opening on 4 April 2019.

The exhibition will tour to Durban, Simons Town, Stellenbosch and Johannesburg throughout 2019.

Eighty percent of all blindness is preventable or at least treatable. Healthy eyesight determines our quality of life and everyday experiences whether it's a child learning to read, a pedestrian crossing the road or a breadwinner working to put a meal on the table for their family.

Sight is a very personal and intimate experience for each individual and this is at the heart of the exhibition. The images showcase the individuals who benefit from the eye care services that St John offers. The exhibition breathes life into its motto: Pro Fide - "Pro Utilitate Hominum" which means For the Faith and in the service of humanity.

The exhibition features 32 photographs taken by Cape Town photographer David Prior with accompanying explanatory narratives, curated jointly by St John's Chris Martin as exhibition Project Manager, Robyn Keet as Creative Director, Dr Paul Bayliss and Thabo Seshoka from ABSA Art Gallery and Sarah McGee from M Studio Community.

Everyone selected to be featured in the exhibition has a personal story to tell. We meet among others, a dressmaker, a truck driver, a construction worker and a community leader - people who shape our lives and our communities, and all of whom are genuinely patients and clients of St John. These are the people that St John South Africa serves.

Included in the exhibition are the stories of the unsung heroes within St John - dedicated individuals who give their time as optometrists, receptionists, and bookkeepers. Men and women working towards a better vision, a grander vision, a 20/20 Vision.

The Durban Art Gallery (DAG) is open seven days a week: Monday to Saturday: 08h30 to 16h00; Sunday and Public Holidays: 11h00 to 15h45. Entry is free and all are welcome! For more info, contact the Gallery on 031- 311 2264 / 9 or Jabu.Mngwengwe@durban.gov.za (weekdays).

St John South Africa is grateful for the support of Rapid Studio- SA's leading photobook company; the Art Times, PicFlick and the Durban Art Gallery

All photographs by David Prior