Using Art To Explore Advancements In HIV Science

As scientists, clinicians, policy makers and activists gathered this week in Brisbane, Australia for a conference on HIV/AIDS, all of them certainly expected to hear about the latest scientific advancements. Many of them probably used some of their free time to explore the rich cultural offerings of the host city. Probably only a few, though, imagined that they could view an exhibition that explored HIV/AIDS through art.

Described on the conference website as, “the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications,” the 12^th IAS Conference on HIV Science began in Brisbane on July 23 and ended on July 26. During this period, researchers from around the globe learned about the latest developments surrounding HIV/AIDS. International AIDS Society meetings, however, have always been about more than just the science. These meetings have a history of including disparate groups of people, not just scientists, and showcasing various means of exploring HIV/AIDS using, for example, film, dance, and art.

Attendees at this year’s conference, along with tourists and residents of Brisbane, could attend a thought-provoking show that examines the intersection of HIV science and art. Open until August 5, 2023 at Metro Arts and also accessible online, HIV Science as Art invites viewers to think about recent scientific advancements and ongoing challenges associated with HIV/AIDS while viewing the works of art.

The idea behind the exhibition is extraordinary. HIV-positive artists were paired with distinguished HIV scientists. Their task? Over a 90 day period, each pair needed to create a piece of art that tells the story of the science. The resulting works of art, along with prints and other merchandise, are for sale. Profits will be used to support people living with HIV in the Asia Pacific region.

So, how do a scientist and artist collaborate on a project? Dr. Elizabeth Bukusi, Chief Research Officer at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington, and Tim Tate, a renowned mixed media and video artist based in Washington DC, discussed their process. Dr. Bukusi’s research interests focus on HIV prevention, treatment and care and the effects of HIV and STIs on the reproductive health of women. She noted that, “For me, the face of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa remains a young female.” She and Tate used this basic idea as a jumping off point for their collaborative work. According to Tate, “She described to me her concept of joining women’s health treatment with HIV services, which are frequently divided there.” The result? A lenticular print that allows viewers to interrogate the effects of HIV on a woman’s reproductive health.

For Tate, this project is part of his long history of using art as a form of HIV activism. As an HIV+ queer man, he has used his art to champion for LGBTQ rights and an end to stigma. Indeed, many of the people involved in this exhibition have a history of melding art and HIV activism. Jessica Whitbread, one of the artistic curators of this show, has used art to challenge misconceptions about people living with HIV and to build inclusive communities. Several of her projects, like Space Dates, often explore issues of stigma.

What is the value of this exhibition? Elise Lankiewicz, a project coordinator at amfAR and a conference attendee, visited the show and noted that, “In the HIV response, we often hear the mantra, ‘Nothing about us, without us,’ which is a critical call to center community preferences, voices and leadership in HIV research. I thought about this more literally while viewing the exhibit.”

Lankiewicz, Bukusi and Tate all talked about the lived experience of HIV/AIDS. The art reminds us that science doesn’t exist in a vacuum. According to Lankiewicz, “When we talk about data, we are talking about individuals and communities. But we often forget, or purposefully create distance between, the complex people and lives that exist on the other side of each data point. This exhibit, for me, served as a visual reminder that we can't separate the research from those who participate in it and those it impacts, nor should we want to.” Tate shared similar sentiments. By combining images of HIV and women’s reproductive health in their art, Tate hopes that he and Dr. Bukusi can, “take away some of the stigma for women who might not have sought HIV treatment for fear someone would see them.”

Tate nicely summed up the importance of art in general and the importance of this show specifically. “I’m hoping,” he said, “that the show will bring awareness to the fact that HIV is not over. This show certainly focuses on the complexities of being an HIV positive person in a very complex world.” Indeed, scientists and clinicians have made impressive strides in their efforts to treat and prevent HIV. But HIV is not over. Art can help us understand the scientific advancements and remind us of the work that still needs to done.