Tiger Blood

March 21, 2025

"Tiger Blood” – Szymon Adamczak, Martyna Baranowicz, Antoni Grabowski, Przemysław Piniak, Viktor Witkowski, Paweł Żukowski

21.03. – 30.04.2025
curator: Martyna Stołpiec

AUDIODESKRYPCJA WYSTAWY

Opening: Friday, 21.03.2025, at 6 pm

The narrative of the Tiger Blood exhibition focuses on relationships between people living with the HIV virus and the role of their surroundings in shaping their sense of security and well-being. The artists behind the exhibition have various perspectives—three of them are living with the virus, while the others are allies whose work addresses anxiety, awareness, and the social narratives connected to HIV. The exhibition presents AIDS-related themes in Poland and in the United States in the epidemic years (the 1980s and 90s) and at present. The dialog between the works in the exhibition prompts us to reflect upon the personal and communal aspects of being HIV-positive, attempting to break down taboos and stereotypes.

The title of the exhibition alludes to a controversial statement by Charlie Sheen, an American actor and celebrity who, before revealing his diagnosis in 2015, claimed that “tiger blood flowed through his veins.” Sheen speaks openly about his life with HIV. His sincerity has been the subject of wide discussion—some have praised him for his openness and courage, saying his confessions could help break down the taboo and promote education about the virus. Others have criticized him for his provocative style of response. Yet we ought to take a look at the context of the present-day breakthroughs in HIV therapy, such as the confirmed research that a person with an undetectable viral load is not contagious to others (U=U), or the option of using PrEP, or Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, which involves taking medicine to prevent infection with HIV. The discourse surrounding life with HIV is changing and becoming normalized. We are seeing a rise in the self-representation and visibility of people living with the virus, coming from a shift in perspective: instead of focusing on AIDS-related death, we are increasingly looking at long-term life with HIV.

The metaphor in the phrase “tiger blood,” which generates a range of responses, is used as the exhibition’s title to stress the aim of the project. This is not just a presentation of HIV/AIDS-related artwork, it also creates a space for reflecting upon relationships, solidarity, and understanding. It is an invitation to strike up a dialog, allowing us to see various experiences of people living with HIV and their allies, to create new narratives together, ones that can bring about a better understanding.

The exhibition brings together pieces by Martyna Baranowicz, Antoni Grabowski, Przemysław Piniak, Viktor Witkowski, Paweł Żukowski, and materials from the QueerMuzeum archive. Furthermore, on the last three Wednesdays (April 16, 23, and 30) of the exhibition’s run there will be performative readings by Szymon Adamczak.

graphic: work by Paweł Żukowski from the series , “Waiting for the diagnosis” 2015/2020

instalation: Jan Jurkiewicz, Piotr Surma, Eidotech Polska

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The project was made possible by the support of Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

Cooperation: QueerMuzeum, Teatr Dramatyczny im. G. Holoubka w Warszawie

Patronage: SEXEDPL Foundation