Unveiling empathy through Fluid Dialogues

Welcome to Fluid Dialogues, an art exhibition that delves into the profound impact of contagious diseases on human history and our current society. This project combines interviews with people living with HIV from around the world, with mesmerizing microscopic images of their blood, set to captivating soundscapes. The aim is to challenge perceptions, foster empathy, and create a new narrative around infectious diseases.

The Invisible Threat and Its Social Impact

Contagious diseases have always shaped human history and continue to do so today. Beyond their physical threat, they often lead to social stigmatization, where individuals are seen not as people but as their medical conditions. This was starkly evident at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, when terms like “China Virus” emerged, creating an “us versus them” mentality that led to discrimination based on nationality, and later, based on risk groups.

This societal fragmentation is not new. In 1981, the first reports of what we now know as AIDS appeared, and by May 1982, the first person in the Netherlands had died from it. Forty-one years later, the stories of those who have lived through this epidemic—and the stigmatization that persists—still resonate deeply.

Project Overview: Fluid Dialogues

Fluid Dialogues is part of a broader movement to humanize and destigmatize individuals living with infectious diseases. This project features interviews of people living with HIV, paired with moving images of their blood, and hypnotic soundscapes, all in the comfort of a submersive space where you can totally relax. Our goal is to emphasize the person behind the disease, fostering empathy and understanding.

Breaking Down Stigmas

It’s easy to fall into discriminatory behaviour when driven by fear. While safety is important, empathy towards those battling diseases is crucial. Fear of contracting a disease like HIV often leads to an “us and them” narrative, creating unnecessary distance. Through this project, we aim to dissolve these barriers, promoting a global sense of unity. We are all part of the same community, affected by AIDS, whether directly or indirectly.

Transforming the Perception of Blood

Historically, symbols like The Pink Triangle, Silence = Death, The Quilt Project, and The Red Ribbon Campaign have been instrumental in combating HIV stigma. However, blood often evokes fear due to its association with disease transmission. Fluid Dialogues seeks to change this perception by presenting blood as a medium for curiosity, wonder, intimacy, and dialogue.

Bridging the Medical and Emotional Divide

While a microscope can reveal the intricate details of a single cell, it cannot convey the emotional landscape of a person’s life. Understanding diseases requires both medical and social perspectives. By merging microscopic footage of blood from different donors living with HIV with their personal interviews, we strive to create a holistic understanding of the impact of the disease.

Challenging Taboos Through Art and Storytelling

Exploring these multifaceted meanings of blood, we challenge the taboo often associated with bodily fluids. This work provides a platform for stories that transcend medical conditions, highlighting the human experience. The images of stigmatized bodily fluids that I created are both intended to be mesmerizing and thought-provoking, drawing viewers into the narrative and fostering a deeper connection to those living with HIV.

Collaborative Effort

This project is a collaborative effort between Basse Stittgen, Juan Arturo Garcia, Andrés Garcia Vidal, the interviewees and myself. The project was commissioned by the Science Gallery Bengaluru (2021) and has since been exhibited at the Science Gallery Rotterdam (2022) and the House of HIV exhibition in Amsterdam (2022). The interviews were conducted by Basse Stittgen and Leo Schenk from the Hello Gorgeous Foundation. Some of the interviews are taken from the film ‘A Human Question’ (2006) by T. Jayashree.  We’ve gathered interviews from people in India, Germany, and the Netherlands, and aim to include voices from around the world to authentically represent the stigmatization experienced by those living with HIV.

Empathy and Unity Through Fluid Dialogues

Fluid Dialogues is a call for empathy and unity. By providing a platform for open dialogue, free from fear and prejudice, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of the social implications of infectious diseases. This project transforms the microscope into a tool for examining social issues, highlighting the need for a unified approach to battling stigma and fostering connection.

A recognition that there is no ‘us & them’ – we are all ‘us’.