The exhibition at Studio Voltaire celebrates the crucial role of grassroots and independent organizations in LGBTQ+ sexual health through a collection of archival posters. Curated by Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh, the show emphasizes how these pieces convey urgent information often overlooked or obstructed by governments. Through bright visuals, community-focused messaging, and contemporary works by photographers, the exhibit connects historical struggles during the HIV epidemic to current challenges faced by trans rights. The creative expressions reveal humanity and warmth, addressing critical health literacy in a visually engaging way, fostering solidarity and support within marginalized communities.
The work of contemporary photographers such as Sunil Gupta and Suzanne Roden proliferate the posters. These visuals highlight that real people were impacted by this.
The sexual health organisations had much more positive messaging, brighter colours, photography of people and portraits, promoting community and engagement.
Catchy puns and tag lines abound, revealing a great deal of attention to the posters' humanity, warmth, and ease of communication.
The posters directed people towards practical resources, providing safe spaces, testing facilities, and health literacy for communities that lacked governmental support.
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