First AIDS Art Collab is an art book and exhibition project that serves to raise awareness on the issue of AIDS in Malaysia.
In just over a month, close to 50 artworks were sent from local and international artists answering the call for solidarity with Malaysia’s People Living with HIV (PLHIV).
2011 will be the 23rd year since the inception of World AIDS Day.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
“HIV does not discriminate — only human beings do. Don’t take chances.”
Day 4
” I’ll stand by you.”
Day 5
Day 6
“Heroes”
Day 7
“Love”
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
“Change…”
Day 11
“I believe in this century, there are still some youths who do not know about AIDs. Just like the girl in this illustration, full of doubt on the issue. They may be familiar with the red ribbon but do they know why it exists? The red ribbon is a symbol of awareness for AIDs and also the symbol of support for the AIDs patients. It is the key to clear your doubts about AIDs and also the way to unlock the lives of those AIDs patients (represented by the hearts in the four cages) who suffer the pain, the loneliness, the lack of love and sorrow so as to enter their lives and help them. The scattering of the red ribbons in this illustration signify that the awareness of AIDs is everywhere. As youths, we should be aware and make an effort to take the ‘key’ to understand theexistence of AIDs and also giving assistance with great love to the AIDs patients. They are just like us.”
Day 12
“Find happiness in every thing you do, every where you are.”
Day 13
Day 14
“Let there be love in our awareness, so that the world you view can be coloured in warm tones, and the beautiful glow in your hearts never fade. ”
Day 15
Day 16
“Sometimes, it’s not by choice that people have HIV. Rather than discriminating those who are already having a hard time getting on with their lives, we should accept them and help them live in a more positive light.”
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
“I am putting out a fact in which people of the current generation show ignorance towards the happenings around the world, where they spend valuable resources on improving their appearances instead of being wary about the well-being of others.”
Day 21
“The story of how society treats its sick is often a tragedy. And AIDS is a particularly unhappy chapter.
Maybe we’ve reached the point where you can’t openly mock the sick. Maybe. Even then, under the surface there’s plenty of ill will. All over the world AIDS victim can freely be fired from jobs, kicked out of school and from their community, banned from public areas and places of worship, refused medical care… it’s a long, sad list.
Most of us are already scared of disease to begin with. On top of that, AIDS has the stigma of sex and drugs attached to it. Two more things society is scared of. It’s our own fear that gets dumped onto the sick. And in our haste to punish the sick for being sick, we forget it’s not the healthy that are suffering.
If you’re reading this book, you’ve helped a little bit. I hope the art and words within will inspire you to help a little bit more.
The theme of this book is “AIDS and You(th)”, and it’s a fitting idea because it’s a tool owned by this generation that can help lift the dark fog off the AIDS issue like no other: the internet. Take this to heart, learn the story of AIDS, how to keep yourself safe, what AIDS does and doesn’t do, and how those who have it suffer not only from the disease, but from their fellow man.
It’s all there. And it’s all easy to find. Next time you’re online, spare some time to look. Then tell others what you found.”
Day 22
“I hope that the PT Foundation could reach out to youths in Malaysia about awareness and constantly remind them how dangerous it is especially to those who want to start a family.
My artwork is showing an individual wanting hope, love and family for people who are suffering from AIDS and HIV.”
Day 23, the final day
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This project is organised by PT Youth, the new youth arm of PT Foundation.
PT Foundation is a community-based, voluntary non-profit organisation providing HIV/AIDS education, prevention, care and support programmes, sexuality awareness and empowerment programmes for vulnerable communities in Malaysia.
All selected artwork will be published into an A4-sized book that will be available for sale at the exhibition.
One artwork may be implemented into the design of the official World AIDs Day T-shirt. This project is strictly non-profit and all proceeds will be channeled to the PT Foundation to fund its various programmes and activities.
The artworks can also be viewed at a dedicated Tumblr blog here: http://firstaidsartcollab.tumblr.com/.
Keep checking it for the other works that did not make it into the countdown but will be featured in the art book.
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