Vivono. Art and Affection: an exhibition on HIV‑AIDS at Centro Pecci

Vivono. Art and Affection, HIV‑AIDS in Italy (1982–1996)

At the Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato, an exhibition explores the fifteen years marked by HIV and AIDS through a mix of artistic and documentary materials. Curated by Michele Bertolino, the show foregrounds personal narratives alongside journalistic and archival records.

The curatorial approach is deliberately atypical: instead of focusing on a movement or style, the exhibition treats the disease as a generational experience and highlights its effects on social and intimate relationships.

What to see

• Commemorative installations that combine lists of names and personal traces, including works that intentionally leave gaps for future entries.
• A wide range of media: paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos and archival documents presenting direct testimonies.
• Key works by Italian and international artists that address the theme with emotional depth and diverse languages.
• Sections focused on pivotal cultural figures of the period, offering biographical and contextual information to aid historical understanding.

Why visit

The exhibition functions as both an artistic presentation and a site of memory: it helps visitors grasp the social impact of the epidemic, the cultural responses by artists, and the changes in affective life during those years. The works combine grief, resilience and a commitment to collective remembrance.

Practical information

• Venue: Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato.
• Curator: Michele Bertolino.
• What to bring: allow enough time for the visit and be prepared for emotional and documentary material; the exhibition includes sensitive content.
• Visiting tips: read labels and contextual panels to connect works with historical background; some rooms benefit from slow, attentive viewing.

This exhibition is a moment to consider how art contributes to public memory and how creative practice can turn grief into active testimony.