Kate Moss by Rankin
Kate Moss and Denise Lewis star alongside young Brits highlighting the reality of life for thousands living in despair with HIV.
Pioneering charity Body & Soul will showcase exclusive, interactive artwork starring thought-provoking images of young people living with HIV alongside striking images of Kate Moss, Denise Lewis OBE and Christine Ohuruogu MBE on the South Bank this June and July.
With the support of photographers Rankin and Suki Dhanda, the unique new exhibition, supported by retailer schuh, marks the next phase of Body & Soul’s award-winning Life in my Shoes campaign.
The Life in my Shoes Exhibition challenges the public to connect with the young people in the portraits by stepping into their shoes and understanding and imagining what life is like when you feel that you are hated and ostracised just because you are different.
The free exhibition will be open 24 hours from Tuesday 25th June 2013 and will run outside on the Riverside Walkway on London’s South Bank until Sunday 7th July 2013.
Body & Soul founder and director Emma Colyer MBE comments: “We need to change the future for our young people. We need to dismantle the fear and hatred that still surrounds HIV. The exhibition gives us a moment to step into the lives of young people here in the UK who live daily with the impact of stigma and prejudice yet remain courageous and inspiring individuals.”
Kate Moss says of her involvement with the exhibition: “HIV is not something that should provoke hatred. Coping with a positive HIV diagnosis is hard enough without having to manage the fear and judgement of the rest of society. I am proud to be part of the Life in my Shoes exhibition which helps raise much needed empathy and understanding around HIV”.
Isabella, 21, who is HIV positive and whose portrait is featured in the exhibition adds: “I hope that the Life in my Shoes exhibition will really open people’s eyes to what’s going on right here, in the UK. If people looking at my portrait can think just for a minute about what life’s really like in my shoes, then that’s a gift… that’s their gift to us.”
Colin Temple, Managing Director, schuh adds: “We are delighted to be associated with Body & Soul’s Life in my Shoes exhibition. As well as being very impressed with the amazing work Body & Soul does, we also instantly felt an affinity with the organisation as the people that they help and support are a similar age to the majority of our customers and many of our staff - not to mention the exhibition couldn’t be more appropriately named for schuh!”
The exhibition forms part of the ongoing Life in my Shoes campaign which is rooted in its desire to engage and inspire young people to build empathy and increased understanding of themselves and others, by connecting and sharing experiences of what life is like in their shoes. Now in its second year, 2013 will build on the success of the short film UNDEFEATED, with a music initiative launching in early autumn. Endorsed by a host of big names including Jessie J, Emeli Sande, Labrinth, Rudimental and Tinie Tempah, the Search for a Music Star will give young people across the UK an opportunity to break into the music industry, win some incredible prizes and challenge the way we all think about those who are different to ourselves.
Tagged in Kate Moss Health Denise Lewis HIV