Exhibition explores HIV activism and care at Wellcome Collection
The Story
A new exhibition titled Tenderness and Rage at the Wellcome Collection in London examines how care and protest have improved the rights and dignity of people living with HIV. The show features photographs, a documentary, and artifacts from HIV activists and support groups in the UK and around the world. It runs from 29 May 2026 to 30 May 2027.
Key Facts
- The exhibition includes the documentary “Dancing Whilst Diagnosed” about the Landmark drop-in centre in south London for people affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Photographs from Gideon Mendel’s series “The Ward” depict four young gay men – John, Ian, Steven and Andre – on wards at Middlesex hospital.
- A cabinet displays materials about Act UP’s campaign to lower the cost of the HIV drug AZT, which was produced by a company in which the Wellcome Trust then held a 75% stake.
- Rob Archer, a co-founder of Act Up, bought shares in the drug firm and questioned its chair at the annual general meeting in January 1989; activists also picketed outside.
- The show includes a memory store created by Angelina Namiba, with a published pregnancy diary and her daughter’s framed handprint.
- Hand-stitched female body parts by women with HIV represent the work of Catwalk4Power to improve body image and promote discussion about sex and trauma.
- Phindile, an AIDS counsellor in Johannesburg, lost her job after the Trump administration cut funding for her clinic.
- Curator Adam Rose said the show connects 1990s HIV protests to current campaigns, emphasising the urgency amid ongoing cuts to HIV funding.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Marc Thompson (former service user of the Landmark, later worked in HIV prevention)
- Rob Archer (co-founder of London and Edinburgh Act Up)
- Adam Rose (curator of the exhibition)
- Angelina Namiba (creator of the memory store)
- Phindile (AIDS counsellor in Johannesburg)
- Gideon Mendel (photographer of “The Ward” series, co-founded Through Positive Eyes)
- John, Ian, Steven, Andre (subjects of Mendel’s photographs)
Sources: The Guardian
