Instinct #12: An AIDS Walkthrough

"An AIDS Walkthrough" is an exhibition that brings together Berlin-based contemporary artists and international art practitioners and researchers to facilitate an intergenerational dialogue on the impacts of HIV/AIDS on society. This two-week-long art show will take place in April 2023 at Village, a queer community and cultural center located in Berlin.

The exhibition seeks to address important questions, such as how to pass on and honor the memory of a traumatic period in our history, how to show hope for the end of the pandemic with treatments that work, and how to ensure that we do not forget that the fight is not over, especially for our friends who live in countries where prevention and treatment are non-existent.

To articulate a dialogue between artists and visitors, the exhibition is divided into three groups that explore the various dimensions of the disease. The first group, "Before 1996," features works that examine the devastating impact of AIDS on the LGBTQ+ community and the inadequate response of the healthcare system to the crisis. The second group, "1996 to the present," showcases works that celebrate the advances in medical treatments and the significant improvements in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. The third group, "Today," focuses on the current challenges and opportunities in the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS and highlights the need for continued research, funding, and political will to make HIV treatment and prevention accessible to all who need it.