Carrying a Torch in Our Fist. Though the virus can no longer spread, there is still something on the move.
What lies deep within the body is not only an incurable virus, but also memories, joys, sorrows, and a resistance that refuses to die. Those living with HIV no longer spread the infection itself, but continue to bear the weight it has left behind. What they seek to pass around are those experiences that have completely rewritten so many lives. While the strength of their collective will may not be enough to cure the virus, it has reached a much deeper place. Like artifacts of infection or an incurable romance, the scars left on their psyches continue on and have learned to speak.
——Taiwan HIVStory and Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab:Incurable Alliance
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been spreading globally for over forty years. Its transmission trajectory has not only coincided with the development of epidemiology but also woven a historical network composed of the experiences of those infected, a social discourse, a stigma, and marginalizing policies. Today, most countries have integrated HIV carriers into public health systems for tracking and management, and stable and workable drug therapies have become the norm. The slogan Undetectable equals Untransmittable (U=U) —as scientific as it is comforting—is often used by advocates and has become part of many lives, as the virus has transformed from undetectable to untransmittable. New research directions have opened and brought hope to those affected. Medical professionals and patients walk together toward a brighter future, as they strive for undetectable viral loads through stable adherence to medication protocols after diagnosis.Infected individuals no longer need to constantly worry about death or the risk of transmitting the virus to others. However, at the same time, it seems they have entered a new silent beginning. Even though the virus is unable to spread due to high-concentration antiretroviral drugs in the bloodstream, fear and societal projections still possess the ability to penetrate everything. Stares and value judgments continue to seep into the body, and even under the protective umbrella of public health mechanisms, memories and fears still need an outlet.
At this pivotal moment, the Incurable Alliance was not formed to battle for a cure, but rather seeks to address those unresolved struggles and experiences that have nowhere to rest. While the widespread use of antiretroviral drugs has brought stability to global virus management, infected individuals and queer communities in the Asia-Pacific region are still deeply affected by punitive structures that have been shaped by law, religion, culture, and class. Same-sex relationships are not widely recognized, infected individuals are often exposed and punished, and there is severe inequity in accessibility to drugs and public health resources. This all has left HIV/AIDS-related art and narrative movements in a state of isolation for a long time. In an era of increased transnational movement and fragmented communities, the emergence of the Incurable Alliance and Asia-Pacific HIV+Art Showcase represents an attempt to break through the silence and sense of isolation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Titled Incurable Alliance, this exhibition was jointly organized by the HIVStory and the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab(C-LAB). With this exhibition, the organizers hope to strengthen alliances and cooperation among transnational art activists. The exhibition brings together ten HIV-positive artists and art groups from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia. Based at C-LAB, the artists collaboratively introduce the HIV/AIDS context as it has been experienced by artists across the Asia-Pacific region. Working in the areas of writing, painting, sound, video, performance, installation, and community practices, the artists share the unique language, religious, cultural, economic, and legal differences in their respective countries. Their works reveal how artistic production can be used to navigate the tug-of-war between body and identity, and how they reconstruct themselves and connect with others in the face of unspoken historical ruptures.
This daring collaboration draws us closer through shared understanding and seeks resonance in wounds that differ. Together, the artists construct a visual site of contemporary HIV experiences, and propose new possibilities for transnational activism and artistic practice while bearing witness to their unfolding.
Exhibition Dates｜ 2025.04.26(Sat.) – 2025.06.01(Sun.) 11:00–19:00
Venue｜ Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab Art Space IV (No.177, Sec.1, Jianguo S.Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan)
Exhibition Opening & Press Briefing｜ 2025.04.26(Sat.) 14:30 @Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab(C-LAB), R102 Coworking Space
Curatorial team｜Kairon LIU、Poyao HUANG、Wei-Chi CHEN
Artists｜Adam UMMAR (Univorso)、Andrew CHAN、Franki.C、Gian CRUZ、HIVStory、Jaewon KIM、Jangwon CHOI、Jerome KUGAN、Kairon LIU、Chih-Wei TSENG
Organizers｜Taiwan HIV Story Association、Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab(C-LAB)
Executive Organizer｜C-LAB Contemporary Art Platform
Find out more｜https://hiv-story.org/incurablealliance/