DANI MARTI ‘HIV Science as Art’ at Metro Arts

July 20, 2024

Dani Marti has been selected as one of twelve HIV positive artists to partner with internationally renowned HIV scientists and present the exhibition ‘HIV Science as Art’ at Metro Arts in Brisbane from 24.07. – 5.08.23. Dani’s work ‘Ay Maricón’ was created in partnership with Melissa Churchill and her HIV cure research: ‘Why are Single Cells Harbouring HIV Latent?’

The exhibition highlights the world’s best HIV science through art in conjunction with the ’12th International Conference on HIV Science’ and includes 12 original pieces of work. All pieces will be for sale with all funds raised going towards supporting community HIV programs and services in the Asia/Pacific region.

On his work, Dani says: “During our conversation we discussed the stigma that has been associated to being HIV positive, the fear of the ‘awakening’ of the virus, and a sense of surrender and acceptance of that reality. We shared some graphs and I was interested in the choice of colour used by the scientific collective to illustrate health and illness. White denoting inflammation and reds and pinks – warm colours, infection. Heat. Friction. Blues and greens, cool colours, tend to represent harmony, and health. My father was a doctor, he specialised in early laparoscopic diagnosis. I used to be mesmerised as a kid looking at his extended collection of slides. Cavernous red landscapes of the internal body. Endless shades of red and yellowing fat matter under the light of the tube. Those impressions have stayed with me, and it’s only now that I tap into them to convey the representation of body, trauma and to give permission to myself to embrace my own queerness as empowerment. Surrendering but never defeated.”

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Image caption: Dani Marti, ‘Ay Maricón!’, 2023, reclaimed domestic plastic, 100 x 80 x 25cm