The Fading Exhibit

VML brought to life the effects of Alzheimer's through art. The Fading Exhibit was more than an art show, it was a conversation starter and fundraising event. We worked with 15, each with a family history of Alzheimer's, to paint memories that gradually disappeared over the course of the exhibit. The fading artworks became a powerful symbol, turning awareness into action which led to a remarkable 65% increase in donations over the span of one week compared to the entire month of April in 2023. We also achieved over 9.5 million in reach thanks to national publications, sparking a wave of engagement. Social media buzzed, reaching 20 times the organic engagement of Alzheimer's Forschung Initiative's usual posts.

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With this exhibit we can reach a new audience and make them pay attention to the issue.

Astrid Marxen

Alzheimer Forschung Initiative e.V.

Alzheimer’s disease affects around 1.2 million people in Germany, with around 300.000 new cases every year. Yet awareness is still low. The earlier patients know, the more steps they can take to slow down its progression. Alzheimer’s Forschung Initiative e.V., an independent non-profit organisation, needed an original creative idea that would reach a large audience with a modest budget.

Every second traveler (49%) names art and culture as an occasion for a visit to Berlin. The high interest and engagement around the Berlin art scene on a local, as well as on an international level, is what inspired us to innovate traditional artworks and use them to tell our story in an unexpected way.

Knowing the influence that art plays in Berlin, we used 15 innovative artworks to start a conversation and educate the public about Alzheimer’s. The Fading Exhibit featured artists with a family history of Alzheimer’s. Each artist painted a personal memory using a thermochromic pigment. We fitted the paintings to custom designed frames with a hidden, built-in heating system.

Each day of the exhibit, the heat of the frames was turned up, which caused the paintings to fade more and more. Tickets to the exhibition became donations on site, and finally, the paintings were put up for a silent auction which helped increase the amount raised.