This exhibition confronts the emotional realities of life with HIV

In recognition and respect of World AIDS Day, Red Reminds Me of Solitude is a multidisciplinary exhibition bringing together work by queer artists, filmmakers, writers, performers and photographers exploring the implications and experiences of living with HIV. This year’s event turns its focus toward loneliness, looking particularly at how isolation and alienation can manifest as painful but often unacknowledged facets of life with HIV. 

Presented by instinct.berlin and held at we are village, a Berlin-based community space and digital platform, the group show opens today (November 28), continuing across the weekend with an engaging program of free events. Alongside work by the likes of Mykki Blanco, Matt Lambert and Bronski Beat’s Jimmy Somerville, the exhibition also includes Annie Leibovitz‘s poignant 1992 portrait of actor Alf Bold, a key figure in Berlin’s film scene, whose life and death were documented by friend Nan Goldin. 

Visitors to the show will have the chance to watch a screening of Blanco’s Dazed film I Want A Dyke For President – a performance of Zoe Leonard’s potent and often-cited 1992/2018 text artwork which demands: “I want a dyke for president. I want a person with AIDS for president and I want a fag for vice president and I want someone with no health insurance… I want a president who lost their last lover to AIDS, who still sees that in their eyes every time they lay down to rest, who held their lover in their arms and knew they were dying...” Leonard’s copies of the full text will be also distrubuted at the event. 

While exploring the condition of loneliness, Red Reminds Me of Solitude also looks towards the moments of profound connection and unity. The programme of events – which includes meditation, film screenings (including Derek Jarman’s 1992 film, Blue), panel discussions, artist talks, readings and performances – has been curated and conceived to create opportunities for dialogue and interaction. The weekend will conclude with a memorial ceremony on Sunday December 1 to commemorate and honour World AIDS Day.

Visit the gallery above for a closer look at a selection of artwork on display. 

Red Reminds Me of Solitude is presented by instinct.berlin and takes place at we are village on November 28 – December 1, 2024. Take a look here for more information on the programme of free events.