ONE Condoms Teams Up With Graffiti Artists for HIV/AIDS Awareness
(Photo: LifeBeat via Instagram)
Safe sex and art come together in a vivid new campaign designed to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS to America's urban communities, where 70 percent of new infections occur each year. ONE, maker of premium branded condoms, announced on Wednesday the launch of a national HIV prevention campaign that brings together visual artists, musicians, celebrities and public health agencies under one hashtag to help stop the spread of the disease.
#LustforLife kicks off with a launch event for an exhibit featuring the works of art of 22 renowned graffiti and street artists at the Urban Outfitters store in New York City's Herald Square on Friday, February 6 at 6:00 p.m.
The artists created unique works of art on full-sized STOP signs with designs promoting safer sex. The collection was curated by Billi Kid, a contemporary artist, designer, and curator whose subversive aesthetic mixes graffiti and street art sensibilities with sophisticated nods to high art, fashion and design.
In partnership with Paddle8, the #LustforLife works of art will be sold in an on-line public auction from February 6-20, in tandem with National Condom Week (February 14-21, 2015), with proceeds to benefit Lifebeat, Music Fights HIV/AIDS (lifebeat.org).
“ONE’s mission is to increase condom use by creating products and programs that make it easier to learn about, talk about, and practice safer sex,” said Davin Wedel, president of Global Protection Corp., parent company of ONE. “While new cases of HIV/AIDS are currently on the decline, it is unfortunate that the issue still persists for our urban brothers and sisters,” said Kid. “I'm very proud to have partnered with ONE Condoms and my fellow graffiti and street artists to transform one of the most recognizable symbols of our time, the STOP sign, into works of art aimed at disrupting HIV/AIDS in urban communities.”
In addition, ONE is producing #LustforLife condom wrappers featuring eight of the STOP sign designs and will distribute millions of them through public health organizations nationwide. The company also will introduce retail 12-packs and other products showcasing the designs and will donate a portion of sales to urban outreach programs.
Visit www.onecondoms.com/lustforlife for more info.
BET.com always gives you the latest fashion and beauty trends, tips and news. We are committed to bringing you the best of Black lifestyle and celebrity culture.
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.