Project Headshot Clinic is at it again, this time on its 8th campaign for the World AIDS Day series. Since 2007, Project Headshot Clinic has supported advocacy campaigns on HIV awareness, climate change, LGBT rights, youth empowerment as well as against tobacco companies. The HIV epidemic in the Philippines is worsening with the rapid increase in the number of new HIV cases in the country. As early as 2008, when the HIV epidemic started to expand, Project Headshot Clinic used social media and photography to call attention to the growing challenge of HIV.
The first Project Headshot Clinic series on HIV started in 2008 when writer Wanggo Gallaga came out to photographer Niccolo Cosme about his HIV status. Gallaga, who had just been recently diagnosed at the time, was asked by Cosme if he wanted to collaborate and do the first ever Headshot Clinic series on HIV for World AIDS Day 2008. The collaboration has since become a yearly personal project along with the continued partnership with UNAIDS.
This year, the theme is Transform – highlighting the need for positive change about society’s perception on HIV and AIDS through art collaborations and social media awareness. “The geometric shapes are a collaboration with art sculptor Royd Santiado and is aimed to look like pixels on the portraits,” shares Cosme, the founder of Project Headshot Clinic. “It symbolizes how the pixels that make up a digital photograph can mean nothing if advocacy is small; but small efforts joined together are needed to be appreciated as a bigger picture. We aim to normalize discussions on sexual health, HIV and AIDS with the help of social media and unique online campaigns such as HSC,” Cosme adds.
The show aims to highlight the importance of collaboration, and that the transformation of society can be achieved through partnership and commitment. While government action and support are important, the actions of individuals and their communities are essential for behavior change that can make a dent in the HIV epidemic. Social media is used to unite people, with HSC helping bring together individuals, communities, and government leaders in a transformative discussion on addressing the challenge of HIV. Some of the collaborators include actors Irma Adlawan, Anthony Falcon, Alex Medina, model and host Joey Mead, Marina Benipayo, award winning film director Pepe Diokno, paper sculptor Royd Santiago, to name a few.
“Transform” is Project Headshot Clinic’s 8th World AIDS Day series in partnership with UNAIDS and SHIP Foundation. This year’s exhibit will provide a new multimedia experience that merges photography, video and performance that will require a free mobile augmented reality app called “Ismartphoto.” The photos that will be showcased will transform into a video with the use of this free mobile app. Headshot Clinic TRANSFORM is also partnering with top designers Francis Libiran, Albert Andrada, Nat Manilag, John Herrera and Norman San Diego for a one-of-a-kind fashion art installation.
The exhibit is open to the public and will be launched on December 3, 7:00 p.m. at the Pineapple Lab, and will run through December 19. For more information, visit www.headshotclinic.com. Transform is made possible by 2GO Travel, Maldita, Mac cosmetics, Hooch, Persia Grill, Pineapple Lab and SneakClip.