Entering the Global Village you were greeted by sounds, sights and colour truly reflecting the ‘Global’ in the entrance sign! First thing I spotted was the row of mannequins, each wearing the most amazing dresses in rues of reds. As you get closer you realise – each is created from condoms.

Adriana Bertini is an artist living in Brazil who takes old or faulty condoms and uses them to create art. She goes into schools, gets the young people used to handling and talking about condoms, whilst smashing the shame around carrying them, all while together creating amazing works of art!

The dresses provoked much conversation and I was thrilled to catch the fashion show of the dresses on the last day of the conference as the final session on the Global Village mainstage.

‘Adriana Bertini, an artist living in São Paulo, Brazil, transforms expired or defective condoms into raw material to be used to make pieces of art. These frames, sculptures, and brightly coloured women’s dresses are intended to raise awareness and inspire reflection about condom use. On another level, Bertini hopes that, by using the very material at the centre of effort to prevent HIV/AIDS to create something new, she can inspire reflection, foster discussion, and challenge taboos.’ Read more on Facebook.

Read more from my time at AIDS2016 here:

LIVING2016 Pre-conference

Engagement Tour: Blue Roof Wellness Centre

Red Ribbon Awards

The People, The Faces, The StoriesThe People, The Faces, The Stories