Polaroid, Polaroid, Polaroid

Join us for the opening night of Polaroid Polaroid Polaroid, a group exhibition presented by MARS Gallery in support of Living Positive Victoria. Inspired by the enduring appeal of the Polaroid, the exhibition brings together artists, curators, and community members exploring themes of memory, intimacy, storytelling, and connection through this iconic photographic medium. Alongside the exhibition, works from one of Emil Canita’s series will be on display, curated in accompaniment with LPV’s Let Them Know: Why and How to Share Your HIV Story resource. Proceeds from artwork sales and donations will support Living Positive Victoria’s peer-led programs and services for people living with HIV.

Presented by MARS Gallery in support of Living Positive Victoria

Opening Event
Tuesday 23 June, 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Living Positive Victoria (LPV) is pleased to support and promote Polaroid Polaroid Polaroid, a group exhibition presented by MARS Gallery that brings together a snapshot of the MARS community while raising funds for people living with HIV.

Inspired by Andy Warhol’s love of capturing the everyday with a Polaroid camera, the exhibition invites artists, curators, and art enthusiasts to explore the Polaroid as both a photographic medium and an object open to personal interpretation.

Since its introduction in 1948, the Polaroid has become an iconic and accessible form of photography, loved for its ability to transform fleeting moments into instant keepsakes. Polaroid Polaroid Polaroid celebrates this playful and democratic medium through a diverse collection of works contributed by the MARS community. Proceeds from artwork sales will support the work of Living Positive Victoria.

Alongside the exhibition, artist Emil Canita will showcase their series curated in accompaniment with LPV’s resource Let Them Know: Why and How to Share Your HIV Story.

Let Them Know was developed in response to a long-standing gap in how HIV disclosure is supported in Australia and globally. The project grew from peer-led HIV disclosure workshops that began during COVID-19, a period marked by heightened isolation and uncertainty.

Photographed in domestic, intimate, and everyday settings, the images centre moments of closeness, trust, and vulnerability rather than disclosure as a singular event. The people featured come from diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences, reflecting the multicultural reality of people living with HIV in Australia today. Each image is paired with a verbatim quote drawn from the participant’s own story. Rather than attempting to explain a life in full, these fragments function as gestures of recognition, curiosity, and care.

Developed by and for people living with HIV, Let Them Know is a national campaign featuring voices from across Australia and across the serodivide. It reframes HIV disclosure not as something driven by fear or obligation, but as a gift. Knowing someone’s HIV status is a privilege. The works presented form part of a national poster campaign distributed through clinics and community organisations across Australia.

Funds raised through Polaroid Polaroid Polaroid will help support LPV’s peer-led programs, community activities, and services that reduce isolation and strengthen connection for people living with HIV across Victoria.

Living Positive Victoria takes your privacy very seriously and will not disclose your private information to any other people or organisations without your consent. For more information, read our Privacy Statement.