Visualising U = U (Undetectable Equals Untransmittable) in an HIV/AIDS Body

Contrary to the mainstream narratives, the HIV/AIDS crisis has not ended. Instead, it has taken a different direction regarding the cultural production of meaning. With the emergence of new medical knowledge in the field of HIV, a prominent discourse has developed around the concept that “undetectable equals untransmittable”, abbreviated as U=U. This phenomenon applies to cases where a person is living with HIV, through consistent medications of antiretroviral therapy, suppresses the virus to the point that it becomes undetectable in standard testing. This scientific concept of U=U has sparked a critical movement within the socio-cultural context of HIV/AIDS, which this article explores to understand what being undetectable means for people living with HIV. To achieve this, the research adopts a visual cultural studies approach, employing a visual-verbal video analysis method to examine video works created by artists, as part of Day With(out) Art. The article explores the cultural significations surrounding the scientific concept of U=U in the lived experience of people living with HIV, as expressed through visual art. The study continues the discourse on the AIDS crisis through a critical analysis of selected visual narratives.