The Alien Sex Club
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Out of Hours Art The Alien Sex Club Barbara Ambika P3, The University of Westminster, Truvada reads London, 24 July 2015—14 August 2015, and your tarot using The Homotopia Festival, Liverpool John The Alien Sex Moores University, 30 October 2015– Club card set, 29 November 2015. — the four suits referring to the A CHEEKY LOOK AT CONTEMPORARY GAY typologies of gay CULTURE AND HIV men’s HIV risk Deliberately provocative or clever marketing? stratification: Imagine my initial thoughts when I was sent Bugchasers, an invitation to The Alien Sex Club! Giftgivers, This art installation was John Walter’s PhD Barebackers project at the University of Westminister, a and Serosorters. joint collaboration with Dr Alison Rodger (a The tarot uses HIV specialist at UCL), and curated by Ellen images serving Mara De Wachter. It was supported by the as a guide Wellcome Trust, Arts Council England, and for ‘Barbara’ Terrence Higgins Trust, among others. to discuss Unlike other exhibitions about HIV which various subjects Pug Virus explores the relationship between visual culture and HIV today. This sculpture are usually serious, sombre, and sometimes including sex and is characteristic of the artist’s colourful and carnivalesque approach. Image care of depressing, Walter used a fun, colourful, relationships. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. and cheeky perspective to reflect on and Also on show is occasionally poke fun at contemporary gay a sculpture called Pug Virus (see above), a the male G-spot is ‘transformed into a new culture. 4-metre high inflatable head sewn in pink architectural landmark for London’. Walter used the concept of a ‘cruise nylon and based on one of a series of 3D The casual visitor will enjoy the artwork maze’, found in gay saunas and sex clubs, to printed ‘virus heads’ Walter has made. and videos which are humorous and enable visitors to walk through exhibits and Pug Virus is his attempt to re-envision satirical at times, while the medical visitor video booths, with music and interactions HIV in our current time of highly-effective may gain further understanding of HIV and to explore the relationship between HIV and antiretroviral therapy, a contrast to 1980s the current cultural factors contributing to contemporary gay culture. representations of the virus during the its transmission. The exhibition also teases the visitors’ ‘AIDS’ crisis, tombstones and all. Richard Ma, senses through the viewing of colourful The Intestinal Corridor, which is a GP and NIHR In-Practice Fellow, Department of and thought-provoking artwork; touching throat or sphincter, takes the visitor into Primary Care & Public Health, School of Public the exhibits, tasting the gin and tonic at the cruise maze, with images of viruses Health, Imperial College London, London. The Capsid Club, and listening to the music and antiretroviral medications featured E-mail: [email protected] playing from two albums Post Polari and throughout the journey. The visitor is Alien Sex Club. encouraged to visit Prostate Palace, where DOI: 10.3399/bjgp16X683317 42 British Journal of General Practice, January 2016.