- Reports have emerged of eye-related health issues following ApeFest, an event by Bored Ape Yacht Club, raising concerns about attendee safety.
- The company has acknowledged the problems, with Yuga Labs in contact with affected individuals, highlighting the potential risks of high-intensity UV light exposure.
In the wake of a high-profile event in Hong Kong, the Bored Ape Yacht Club has found itself grappling with unexpected fallout. ApeFest, the exclusive gathering for top collectors of the much-hyped cartoon ape NFTs, reportedly led to a series of health complaints from attendees.
When Art Meets Safety Concerns
Sky News has confirmed that the organizers of ApeFest are investigating claims of eye burn and vision impairment that surfaced after the event. It appears that ultraviolet lighting, used as part of the event’s staging, is at the center of these complaints. The Verge has detailed the UV stage lighting as a potential source of these eye-related ailments, which align with symptoms consistent with photokeratitis.
Social media channels, including platforms like X, which rose from Twitter’s legacy, have become hotbeds for first-hand accounts of the incident. Individuals are reporting experiences akin to ‘snow blindness,’ a condition familiar to skiers and others exposed to bright UV rays without proper protection.
The company’s response was swift, with Bored Ape Yacht Club issuing a statement confirming their awareness of the situation and their proactive approach to addressing it. Their early estimates suggest that less than 1% of the attendees and staff experienced symptoms, but the situation is still being closely monitored.
Yuga Labs, the parent company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club, has been actively communicating with 15 individuals who have reported these eye issues. They have advised all affected to seek medical attention as a precautionary measure.
The Cultural Phenomenon Facing a Downturn
The Bored Ape Yacht Club has been a trailblazer in the NFT space since its inception in 2021, attracting celebrities and garnering high-profile attention. These unique digital assets, which operate on the Ethereum blockchain, afford owners membership to an exclusive online community and access to events like ApeFest.
However, this incident comes at a time when the NFT market is experiencing a significant downturn. With a 98% drop in sales since last year according to CryptoSlam, the incident at ApeFest could potentially impact the brand’s popularity and the NFT space further.
As this story unfolds, it serves as a critical reminder of the importance of safety measures at such events, particularly when employing powerful lighting technology that can pose health risks. The broader implications for event safety and the NFT market remain to be seen.
