The 26th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and "19 Games-AIDS. Art. Life" Contemporary Art Exhibition held in Beijing
BEIJING, May 17 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The 26th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and the Opening Ceremony for “19 Games—AIDS. Art. Life” Contemporary Art Exhibition was held today at 798 Art District in Beijing to pay tribute to people’s lives lost to and affected by HIV/AIDS. It also served to enhance awareness of the topic and reduce stigma toward people living with HIV/AIDS among the greater public.
This event was hosted by United National Development Programme (UNDP) and organized by Marie Stopes International China (MSIC), with sponsorship from Zeshan Foundation. During the event, participants including Mr. Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator in China, Ms. Lili Liu Liqing, Country Representative of MSIC, Mr. Li Wangsheng, President of Zeshan Foundation, as well as representatives from the government, UN agencies including UNDP, UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNESCO, Hong Kong HIV Foundation and other supporting institutions lighted candles together as a gesture to inspire people and increase their understanding of the epidemic and those living with the virus.
International AIDS Candlelight Day is annual event initiated in 1983. This year, the art exhibition “19 Games—AIDS. Art. Life” displays the artwork of 18 top notch contemporary Chinese artists/groups.
“19 Games captures the idea of presence and absence. Within our 19 games, there are only 18 artists (groups) and 18 artworks. The remaining ‘one’ is reserved for those absent from the scene,” said Zhang Bing, curator of the exhibition. “It could be anyone, any piece of work, and anything you can imagine. Through their artwork, the selected artists show their attention to public health issues and the threats posed to human life, such as HIV/AIDS, as well as their concern for the conditions of human existence in the face of crises.”
“This event serves to remind us that we cannot work alone but rather need joint efforts and sustained commitment and action from all walks of society to find a solution to HIV/AIDS,” said Khalid Malik. “The art community’s involvement plays a unique role because art is a powerful tool to change people’s mindset and behaviour.”
The art exhibition is an important component of the “AIDS. Art. Life” project. It is part of ‘Positive Talks,’ a joint project supported by UNDP, UNAIDS and MSIC that aims to empower and support the significant involvement of people living with HIV (PLHIV) as meaningful partners in China’s multi-sector response to AIDS.
At the event, volunteers from ‘Positive Talks’ also had the chance to directly express themselves to reach out for support and understanding. This provided a concrete opportunity for those most directly affected to speak about their experiences and show the human aspects of HIV/AIDS, helping to counter prejudice, ignorance and discriminatory attitudes.
Liu Liqing said, "As long as HIV is prevalent in China and the rest of the world, it is not the issue of a single country or individual. AIDS is a challenge for all humans and a threat to the entire world. Life is equal - everyone should enjoy equal respect and the right to pursue a better-quality of life. We hope that through this event, more people will join us in the fight against HIV to create a healthier and more respectful world.”
Many of the artworks were created after artists and students had the chance to conduct in-depth communications with PLHIV, enabled by UNDP, and reflect issues related to AIDS.
The “19 Games -- AIDS. Art. Life” Contemporary Art Exhibition will run until June 14th. During this time, a series of themed activities will be held, providing the community with a chance to further engage with these contemporary artists, students and PLHIV. When the exhibition closes in Beijing, the “AIDS. Art. Life” project will continue to actively promote the exhibition to be shown in other cities in China and in other countries.
This event was also supported by UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNICEF, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) China, Family Health International (FHI), China-America AIDS project, T-Art Center and the Communication University of China.
Participating artists (groups) include: Chen Chieh-jen, Cui Xiuwen, Chi Peng, Caiyuan&.Xi Jianjun, Gu Changwei, Hung Tung-lu, Lv Qihong, Shen Shaomin, Sun Furong, 3P = 3Players, Wu Xiaojun, Xiang Jing, Xu Bing, Yang Shaobin, Zhang Xiaogang, Zhang Xiaotao, Zhou Tiehai, and Zuo Xiao Zu Zhou.
