Pro Infirmis Campaign Redefines Beauty Through Disability
In 2013, Swiss nonprofit Pro Infirmis launched a social campaign titled "Who is perfect?" for International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3. The campaign, presented as a short film, challenges conventional beauty standards by using models with disabilities—including a phocomelic man, a woman in a wheelchair, and a man with dwarfism—to reshape mannequins in a Zurich shop window. A team of technicians dismantled and rebuilt the plastic figures based on a new canon of imperfection and reality. The project critiques societal clichés, fears, and architectural barriers, emphasizing respect and protection for unique fragilities. Art critic Helga Marsala wrote about the campaign for Artribune, noting its performative and communicative power.
Key facts
- Pro Infirmis is a Swiss nonprofit organization.
- The campaign was launched in 2013.
- It coincided with International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3.
- Models included a phocomelic man, a woman in a wheelchair, and a man with dwarfism.
- Mannequins were reshaped in a Zurich shop window.
- The campaign was presented as a short film.
- Helga Marsala authored the article on Artribune.
- The campaign questions the concept of perfection.
Entities
Artists
- Helga Marsala
Institutions
- Pro Infirmis
- Artribune
Locations
- Zurich
- Switzerland