A colourful exhibition made up of life-sized self-portraits (body maps) of HIV positive people, telling stories of the disease, is on display at the DUT Art Gallery foyer, Steve Biko Campus, this week until Monday 21 April 2014.

Curious students are enthralled by the artworks forming part of the Our Positive Bodies exhibition, an initiative headed by the DUT HIV/AIDS Centre in conjunction with the Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Program (HEAIDS).

Project Co-ordinator; Melusi Dlamini from the HIV/AIDS Centre, said the exhibition aims to communicate the fact that living with HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence. “We want students to have a positive interpretation of people living with HIV/AIDS,” he said.

Colin Mkhize, a first-year-Electrical Engineering student, visited the exhibition, saying that reading about the various case studies was interesting. He found the usage of art in the exhibition as a “very healthy means of expressing one’s self”.

“I personally do not have no problems with people living with the disease. I believe that what matters the most is that they follow a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

Athenkosi Nkomonye, from the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, reiterated that the exhibition was an excellent idea. “This is something new, I think this type of exhibitions will grow in time and unite countries and help to build solid relationships”.

Many students also said that the stories depicted at the exhibition were inspiring and accessible. Students and staff are encouraged to visit the exhibition in order to gain more understanding about people living with HIV/AIDS through the artworks.

– Philiswa Xulu

Pictured: First-year Electrical Engineering students Athenkosi Nkomonye, Ndumiso Mngomezulu, Ryan Buthelezi and Colin Mkhize at the Our Positive Bodies exhibition currently showing at the DUT Art Gallery foyer.