The Rainbow Project bringing LIVING Exhibition to Belfast to celebrate World Aids Day 2022
As part of Worlds AIDS Day 2022, the Rainbow Project is proud to present the LIVING exhibition in the MAC Belfast on Saturday 03 December to mark World AIDS day 2022. This exhibition is a series of photographic portraits of people living with HIV initially created by Gay Community News and HIV Ireland.
One of those participating in the 2022 LIVING exhibition Rory O’Neil aka Panti Bliss said:
“What will eventually remove the stigma, fear and ignorance around HIV are when we get to a point where everyone feels able to be open and honest about it. This exhibition is a perfect example of people standing up to be beautifully photographed, to openly, honestly and proudly even in a weird way, say ‘Yes, I’m living with HIV and look at me I’m doing great!”
Leo Lardie, Sexual Health Officer spoke about plans for Living Exhibition.
Leo said:
“LIVING is an innovative and incredibly powerful collection of portraits by the wonderfully talented photographer Hazel Coonagh. There is no shame in living with HIV and this exhibition highlights 13 incredibly diverse people living with HIV across this island. It focuses on confronting and challenging the stigma which is still present in Ireland today.
“We are proud to be working with our partners at Gay Health Network to spread the message that Undetectable = Untransmissible. Simply put, undetectable means that the presence of HIV in a person’s body is so low that they cannot transmit the HIV to anyone by any means. For those living with HIV becoming undetectable is undoubtedly a freeing moment, as for many their greatest fear is transmitting HIV to someone else. We may see an end to HIV transmission within our lifetime, especially with the ever-growing uptake of treatments as prevention such as PEP and PrEP.”
Notes:
• The Rainbow Project also offers free, confidential & non-judgemental rapid HIV & syphilis testing at our Belfast and Foyle centres by appointment. For more information please visit www.rainbow-project.org.
The Exhibition will be presented in the MAC Belfast on Saturday 3rd December. A series of photographic portraits of Irish people living with HIV launched last December by GCN (Gay Community News) & HIV Ireland. The exhibition’s portraits and accompanying video interviews of the subjects aims to give visibility to and celebrate the diversity of people living with HIV in Ireland.
For more information, please contact Leo Lardie on 02890 319030 or email leo@rainbow-project.org