Amid Trump’s Healthcare Rollbacks, MoMA PS1’s Installation Fights Stigma
Photo by Kenneal Patterson.
The stark white walls of the MoMA PS1 have come alive this February with dozens of Valentine’s Day cards. But this installation isn’t just for show. In a few short days, the handmade creations will be sent to women and gender-non-conforming people living with HIV around the world. “It is ok 2 [sic] be alone, scared, confused, conflicted, and feel isolated,” reads a message on a red paper heart. “At times we can feel misunderstood and think we are not worthy. But this is a testament for courage!”
The AIDS epidemic is far from over, and 2025 could bring new, alarming risks due to recent policy shifts from the new administration. Among the most concerning moves: Trump has gutted funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which supports 20 million people worldwide, and removed critical information from the CDC’s website.
In the face of these threats, celebrating Valentine’s Day or writing love letters may seem trivial. But at MoMA PS1, activists from Visual AIDS argue that art-based activism is more crucial than ever. “LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN has been going on for over a decade now, but the urgency does feel different in this moment,” said Blake Paskal, the programs manager for Visual AIDS. “The actions being done are going to lead to a rise in HIV, and almost more importantly, a rise in stigma.”
While AIDS is now a manageable disease, stigma puts lives at risk and prevents people from accessing medication, said Paskal. The exhibition was originally created in 2013 by Jessica Whitbread, a Canadian artist and activist living with HIV. In the years since, it has created a global movement and reached women in South Sudan prisons and rural villages in Eswatini. Now, LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN may carry even greater weight today during a second Trump presidency.
“It’s really hard times, domestically and internationally,” said Whitbread. “So many of the groups who participate in LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN have had their funding frozen. Their clinics are closed. In their communities, there’s a lot of uncertainty. The cards are a symbol of hope and togetherness.”
Although Whitbread sparked the flame, she’s proud that it’s grown into something community-owned and led. It has always been inclusive for anyone who identifies as a woman or feminine or just feels like the exhibition speaks to them.
“My advocacy looks and centers women as a whole, within the HIV response, beyond just the potential transmission and discourse around children,” she said. “Women are much more than just baby-making machines.”
Photo by Kenneal Patterson.
The heart-shaped cards dot the quiet halls of the building’s third floor. Each one is carefully pinned in the shape of a larger heart, a vibrant manifestation of resilience. Soft pink rose illustrations are bordered by gold cutouts of Cupid and a modern Queen of Hearts. All were carefully constructed by the artists, activists, and HIV-positive women using creative expression to stand in solidarity with each other.
“Love is timeless,” reads one card.
“Women are the real architects of society,” reads another.
Last year, the cards were sent to over 40 countries. Many eagerly await them each year. In parts of the world, limited information about HIV and AIDS only shows one side of the story. Exhibitions by Visual AIDS, however, broaden that perspective, showing the full emotional spectrum of those living with the virus. “Art is people telling their stories, and that is so essential and important to creating nuance around any kind of political issue, whatever it may be,” Paskal added.
One visitor, 30-year-old Ghada Ghannam, was especially entranced by a video showcasing several HIV-positive women recounting their experiences. Ghannam is a defense attorney who supports asylum seekers in deportation proceedings. “In the past, I’ve largely viewed the virus in a legal way,” she said. “This is the way people are discriminated against; this is the way people are denied access to healthcare. But now I’m seeing the emotional aspect of it, where it impacts people’s ability to connect or feel love.”
Photo by Kenneal Patterson.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, the stereotype that HIV is exclusive to the queer community can often perpetuate harmful stigma. “Often, the way we think about HIV doesn’t extend to ciswomen or people who aren’t gay men,” said another visitor, 24-year-old Lee Folpe. “I think it’s beautiful to draw attention to this in a positive way.”
Elena Ketelsen González, a MoMA PS1 curator, agrees: “No one is immune to this epidemic, and I really think it’s important to visibilize women . . . The fact is, a lot of this work is going to potentially be illegal—you have DEI and all these entities being canceled,” she said. “Third spaces need to step it up. Whether that’s museums, churches, nonprofits, cafes, or restaurants. A third space is more valuable now than ever.”
AIDS activism has never been easy, said González. There’s also a lot of discrepancy in terms of race and class, and who has access to medication and gender-affirming care. But over 3,500 Valentine’s Day cards have been disrupted through LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN to date. And the artists show no signs of slowing down. Or, as González puts it: “The work continues.”
LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN will be on view at MoMA PS1 through February 3, 2025.
Photo by Kenneal Patterson.
