Positive/ Negative: More than 33 million people across the world live with HIV/AIDS and approximately 8,000 of them are Israeli, and it is estimated that a new carrier is discovered in Israel every day.

In honor of HIV/AIDS awareness month, second year students from the Visual Communications Department created a series of posters that deals with society’s attitude towards the carriers of the virus and people who are sick with AIDS. 

As part of the cooperation with the HIVTalk website, the students in the “designer as a creator of an image” course were asked to present their interpretation to the “outward” view towards HIV carriers and AIDS sufferers. Led by Yael Bogen and Amnon Illuz, they studied how to jointly reflect polar perspectives and how to translate them to a message that is both accessible and thought provoking. 

In order to further their understanding of the subject, the students met with Alon Madar, the innovator and producer of the project who is behind HIVTalk, who told them about the lives of HIV carriers and AIDS sufferers, and about their daily challenges. 

At the end of the process they presented a double point of view about life with HIV/AIDS as they perceived them, under the guiding title of “Positive/ Negative.” 

As part of the joint project, the Israeli Association for Trating AIDS granted scholarships with those with outstanding projects. The recipients were Dana Cohen (first place), Rotem Adrian and Daniel Barash (second place), Ilana Avraham and Diana Pasternak (third place). 

Dr. Margalit Lorber, the representative of the association, presented the awards at a festive ceremony hosted by the department and attended by Shenkar’s president, Dr. Yuli Tamir, the management of the college and the founders of the event. Madar praised the successful project and said that “art allows us to deal with the difficult corners of life and to learn how strong we are.” 

“In a world that has HIV/AIDS, we all live with HIV/AIDS in some capacity,” said Madar. He added that “the exhibit will allow visitors to be free from preconceived notions about the virus and those who live with it. Instead of them we wish to create a perspective that leaves no room for judgment or criticism but rather human partnership between individuals who inhabit the same world.” 

The impressive posters created as part of the project will be presented in a group exhibit (sponsored by the GSK company*) alongside the works of artists who live with HIV/ AIDS and will allow visitors to become acquainted with the stories and realities behind the preconceived notions and the ignorance that cloud the subject. 

• The exhibit, “State of the Art: A Masterpiece” will be displayed between the 18th and 27th of December at the “Challal” gallery (33 Hachasmal street, Tel Aviv); Opening hours: 10:00- 20:00. Celebratory opening event will be on Thursday, December 18th, at 19:00. 

*A public service sponsored by the GSK company