TAIPEI, Aug. 27, 2023 /CNW/ — Voices of inclusion from Taiwan are being showcased across the Pacific in North America thanks to the “Gen U: Love the Voice” project, co-organized by the Taiwan AIDS Society and Taiwan AIDS Nurses Association. Featuring 19 self-portraits by amateur Taiwanese artists and a portrait of an elderly woman living with HIV by renowned artist Kristy Chu, the project is exhibited at TAIWANfest Toronto and will be exhibited in Vancouver. The exhibit brings Taiwan’s dynamic and diverse culture to the world through sharing Taiwanese feelings and stories about equality.
The phrase “Gen U” is inspired by the concept of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), now scientifically proven and accepted worldwide. U=U means that people living with HIV can control their viral load with just one pill a day, so that the virus cannot be detected in their bodies and it is impossible for them to transmit the virus. These people will not develop AIDS and can live their lives just as they did before infection.
The choice of self-portraits for this project is an homage to the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, which commemorated people with AIDS who were dying while governments and the world at large ignored them. In this age of U=U, people living with HIV can still live as they did before, but they must still cope with the self-doubt brought on by societal discrimination.
The project received 356 self-portrait submissions from across Taiwan, which were combined into a single giant canvas 55 meters in length. The hope is for the viewer to realize that it is impossible to tell which of the self-portraits are by people living with HIV. Just as the virus is no longer an impediment to people’s lives in “Gen U,” the public should rethink their preconceived notions of people living with HIV and adopt the “health equality” mindset, developing empathy for the fact that all people face challenges, and people should not be criticized for the paths that their lives took.
The project was first exhibited in Taipei on December 1, World AIDS Day, in 2022. The exhibit drew widespread attention including that of the Asian-Canadian Special Events Association, the organizer of TAIWANfest. The Association selected 20 self-portraits to be showcased in Canada, including works by people living with HIV, young cancer patients, people living with depression, Indigenous people, explosion accident survivors, and other people living under stress due to their gender, profession, family, or sexual orientation. These portraits represent the process of self-exploration by these artists, as well as the personal commitment to freedom and dedication to diversity and inclusion in Taiwan.
One of the most notable portraits is “Granny Don,” painted by renowned Taiwanese artist Kristy Chu for a senior living with HIV. “Granny Don was infected with HIV by her ex-husband thirty years ago, when Taiwanese society was extremely conservative. Her parents kicked her out of their home, and she lived from place to place for years before she finally settled down in one of the very few care facilities In Taiwan for HIV-positive people,” said Kristy Chu. “Now she’s over 70 and still full of life, even though she uses a wheelchair now. You would never know how much she’s been through. My goal with this portrait is to show her energy for the world to see. This is what Generation U is all about!”
First held over 30 years ago, TAIWANfest attracts over 200,000 visitors annually. This year’s TAIWANfest includes the program “Self-Portraits of Formosa,” organized in collaboration with the Dutch diaspora community. In addition to the “Gen U – Love the Voice” exhibition, there are art shows, food, DIY experiences, movie showings, cultural performances, and literary readings to explore the multifaceted relationship between migrants, colonizers, and Taiwan. TAIWANfest Toronto is taking place at the Harbourfront Centre from August 25 to 27; TAIWANfest Vancouver will be held in Downtown Vancouver from September 2 to 4.
TAIWANfest Toronto https://torontotaiwanfest.ca/
TAIWANfest Vancouver https://vancouvertaiwanfest.ca/
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Alice Yang
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SOURCE Taiwan AIDS Society
