KI researcher behind fashion creation that highlights challenges posed by HIV
As the 26th International AIDS Conference opens in Rio de Janeiro, Karolinska Institutet will be represented in an innovative global initiative that brings together science, art and public engagement. The exhibition HIV Unwrapped pairs leading HIV researchers with emerging fashion designers to transform complex scientific concepts into wearable works of art.
The project HIV Unwrapped aims to make HIV science more accessible while challenging the stigma that continues to affect people living with HIV around the world.
Karolinska Institutet's contribution, Threads of Resilience, was created by designer Taurai Valerie Mtake in collaboration with Professor Anna Mia Ekström and HIV nurse and acting clinic head Victor Westergren from Södersjukhuset's Venhälsan, Ophelia Haanyama from Posithiva Gruppen and tailored by Malick Sylla.
“HIV science is ultimately about people. By combining research with creativity, we hope to foster greater understanding, reduce stigma and inspire dialogue about global health equity,” says Anna Mia Ekström, professor at the Department of Global Public Health, KI.
Inspired by resilience combined with systems thinking in global health, the garment visualises the interconnected networks of research, healthcare, communities and lived experience that make effective HIV prevention and treatment possible.
The exhibition debuts at AIDS 2026 alongside ten new designs created by Brazilian fashion students and garments from Australia, Canada, Fiji, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.