This interdisciplinary collaboration works like a beautiful symphony where the string orchestra collides with the Erhu’s (Chinese violin) visually incoherent songlines to work together beautifully. My scientific partner, Dr Gemma Crawford, has been involved in the community-based HIV response, and has been working across health promotion and public health practice, advocacy, leadership, policy, teaching and research for over 20 years. What inspired me the most about Gemma’s background and research is her passion and dedication. Similarly, my creative practice relies heavily on social study, bodies, materials and performances in action. I wanted this collaboration to be a fusion between two individuals committed to spcoal; action and not just a research paper plus garment.

In this garment, I decided to cast the spotlight back on Gemma and embody her vision of ambushing a “eureka moment” – using her goal of mitigating the aspects of migration influencing HIV acquisition that has stemmed from the liminal space between ‘manhood culture’ and mobility. Using the concept of a suit as an irony, of being a ‘man’ which allegedly acquiesces power, but simultaneously it is like armour that has restricted your freedoms.

These emotions become constrictions, and eventually breakthrough to influence and inform the rational and irrational decisions and desires of gendered complexity. Gemma’s research exposes the underlying issues of how sex and sociality cross fertilise each other and this garment aims to provide the vision of “built-up emotions” struggling to form “individuality” and the eventual “emotional release”.

The scientist I am working with for this HIV Unwrapped project is Dr Corie Gray. Her research is based on The Srikandi Project. The word Sri Kandi refers to a leading female warrior in Javanese mythology signifying a modern-day symbol of female empowerment – known for her bravery, fighting skills and a role model for women trying to achieve equality and recognition in Indonesian society.

Cories’ research focuses upon empowerment through a strengths-based, community led approach through amplifying the knowledge, networks and cultural assets of Indonesian women – fostering pride, leadership and ownership over sexual health and well-being. Depicting how informal networks, cultural identity and peer empowerment can create pathways for HIV prevention and testing.

The branding of the Srikandi Project are the colours pink and purple, so I used these as the colour palette for my design. The garments textile is made from deadstock silk organza and shiny sheer fabric cut into strips and sewn back together to create a textile. This textile is symbolic of these Indonesian women in the project – having different layers within them. How past experiences have formed the person they are today, resilient and empowered just like Sri Kandi. The strips of fabric sewn back together to form the textile also depicts the interconnectedness of the Indonesian and Australian HIV community working together. The oversized sleeves can be worn as a scarf and the cowl/hood signifies comfort, safety and protection of oneself, and how these women are overcoming racism and stigma in the community.

If you look carefully, hand stitched in purple sequins is the word Srikandi on one of the sleeves to pay homage to this research project.

This garment examines the relationship between HIV and the immune system through form, colour, and repetition. It draws on Professor Silvana Gaudieri’s research into how HIV adapts to escape immune detection and how genetic variation – particularly in Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) and antigen processing pathways – shapes the body’s ability to recognise and respond to the virus. The silhouette comprises two intersecting spherical forms: the smaller representing HIV, and the larger symbolising a CD8+ T-cell. At their point of contact, the virus elongates outward as the T-cell curves inward, abstractly capturing a moment of recognition and potential immune control. The surface of the garment is hand-embellished with laser-cut organza circles, a process-intensive detail that honours the rigour underpinning this type of HIV research.

The red T-cell symbolises immune activation and resilience. The HIV form is predominantly blue, reflecting immune evasion, with a trace of red near the T-cell – a subtle gesture toward the possibility of detection. The transparent circles speak to latency and ambiguity – to what is present but not yet seen. The repeated circular motif further references core elements of Silvana’s research: T-cells, viral particles, data points, and the many lives impacted by HIV. This piece transforms a microscopic interaction into a tangible, sculptural expression of complexity, vulnerability and resilience within the body’s immune response to HIV.