University of Leicester, Wellcome Trust curate AIDS poster exhibition at New Walk Museum

Images from around the world of the most serious epidemic in history are to go on public display in Leicester.

Spreading the Word: AIDS Posters from Around the World is the exhibition curated by University of Leicester academic Dr Sarah Graham, in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust. It takes place at the New Walk Museum from 15 July -28 August.

The exhibition will be opened by Lord Smith of Finsbury, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1997-2001), currently Chairman of the Environment Agency and Patron of HIV/AIDS charity the Food Chain.

Lord Smith said: "These posters are a graphic reminder of the continued challenge of HIV, and of the efforts right across the world to raise awareness and fight the battle against the spread of the virus. The posters are also really interesting, and rather good."

Dr Graham, whose teaching and research in the School of English at the University of Leicester has a particular interest in gender and sexuality issues, said the diverse ways that nations, cultures, religions and ethnicities have responded to AIDS was articulated through the posters.

She said: "Spreading the Word: AIDS Posters from Around the World" is an exhibition of posters promoting AIDS awareness. Drawn from the holdings of the Wellcome Library, London, the posters show the various ways in which international health organisations have used visual art to inform the public about HIV and AIDS, which now affects more than 34 million people worldwide.

"The event is timely because July 2011 marks 30 years since the identification of a disease that has gone on to become the most serious epidemic in history. It is also 20 years since the introduction of the red ribbon as a symbol of AIDS awareness. This exhibition has been organised in recognition of these anniversaries."

Dr Graham said AIDS continues to remain a global issue and she added that the poster exhibition would be of interest to many different people: "The exhibition will appeal to those interested in the way nations, ethnicities and religions have responded to the challenges of AIDS; more generally, the subjects of gender, race and sexuality; visual art and advertising; cultural and social history; healthcare promotion."