Exhibition on HIV Awareness

A special program of the Art and HIV/AIDS Exhibition is underway at Tehran’s Mellat Cineplex Gallery.

It opened on October 21 and will run through November 4. It features artworks on the subject of HIV/AIDS and is aimed to help spread awareness about the quality of life of people living with HIV, early diagnosis and treatment, timely testing of pregnant women, and ensuring birth of healthy babies from HIV-infected mothers.

“We have planned various programs on Friday, including free counseling and HIV testing, group exhibition of children’s paintings as well as games that would include both HIV positive and negative children, for the purpose of reassuring parents and children that AIDS is not transferred via touch,” secretary of the meeting Farzad Towhidi, told Mehr News Agency.

Additionally, actor, playwright and theater director Salman Farkhondeh will recite verses from the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), Ferdowsi’s epic poem with illustrations on a huge screen (Pardeh-Khani, as the practice is known in Persian).

“The meeting from 5-7 pm will also screen excerpts of a short film, especially produced for the occasion,” Towhidi said.

For the event, a number of interviews have been conducted with artists including Tehran-based Hungarian painter Gizella Sinai, 71; Iranian painter and photographer Farah Ossouli, 62; actress Mahtab Keramati, 46; and author and filmmaker Narges Abyar, 46. Instead of the usual speeches, the interviews will be screened to convey the messages of the celebrities.

“It seems that our people know very little about HIV/AIDS. And even if they do know enough, programs to create awareness should be a continuous process. Reminders are required to prevent new cases and help infected or affected children live better lives, including reminding them that HIV/AIDS is not transmitted through touch or breath,” Towhidi added.

Acclaimed painters including Iraj Eskandari, Arya Shokouhi Eqbal, Morteza Asadi, Farah Ossouli, Babak Etminani, Yaqoub Emdadian, Arman Estepanian, Aneh Mohammad Tatari and Gizella Sinai are participating in the exhibition.

The event also features works of photographer, architect and graphic designer Ebrahim Haqiqi, 66, and photographer and cinematographer Seifollah Samadian, 62.

The proceeds of the exhibition will go for HIV-infected children.