Led by the peer-led HIV charity Positively UK, the project was inspired by the Netherlands-based Women Connected, which holds space for women from marginalised groups to gather together to create Power Bags and performances, and reflect on the power and expertise they hold within themselves. The bags – and the conversations we had while making them – speak to wider questions about what the research community needs to know about living with HIV as a woman in the UK. These conversations can be traced through the soundscape and visualisations that accompany the Power Bags in this exhibition.
Listen Louder emerged as a key theme throughout our project, and an invitation to the research and medical communities to pay attention to the agency and voices of women who are the experts of their/our experiences. This exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate and learn from that expertise.
“Because the people who have the power to change things just aren’t listening, right? The stories are there; they have the solutions.”
Seven courageous women living with HIV shared their experiences and explored what it means to be rebellious. Their invaluable contributions have shed light on themes of identity and power, and the challenges facing women living with HIV in the UK. The diversity of the women involved in the project offers scope for trans-generational, cross-community perspectives of women living with HIV.
“…looking at the […] people who were talking, the range, the ages and all the different backgrounds, that really came across.”
The bag-making workshops were facilitated by Michelle Bockor, Charity Nyirenda, Silvia Petretti and the drag artist Daniel Mcilwraith/Daisy Puller. Positively UK offers peer-led support, advocacy, and information to empower individuals living with HIV to effectively navigate every aspect of their diagnosis, care, and life with HIV. The project was enabled by the King’s College London Activist-in-Residence fund, coordinated by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities and hosted by Katharine Low (GKT School of Medical Education) and Ella Parry-Davies (Department of English).
“It’s completely community-run; it’s completely […] from the words of those living with HIV, and that’s vital.”
“[What stood out to me was] the obvious collaboration between the researchers and the participants. […] And it felt like – that there was a really genuine respect from all sides and a really genuine dialogue.”
Rebel By Default 