Tampa Artist Explores HIV in Post-PrEP Era

Patrick Carew's new work at Tempus Projects Flash Gallery and USF's MFA Thesis Exhibition examines the experience of living with HIV today.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 11:07pm

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Tampa artist Patrick Carew is preparing to graduate from the University of South Florida with a new body of work exploring what it means to experience HIV in the post-PrEP era. Carew, who has curated the Reverb gallery, is using photography and printmaking to capture the virus, including imaging bodily fluids like blood. His work will be featured in upcoming group exhibitions at Tempus Projects Flash Gallery and the University of South Florida's MFA Thesis Exhibition.

Why it matters

Carew's work examines the changing landscape of HIV healthcare and treatment, particularly the impact of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) on the lived experiences of those with HIV. His artistic exploration provides a unique perspective on a virus that can only be seen under an electron microscope, highlighting the personal and emotional aspects of the condition.

The details

Carew is using photography and printmaking techniques to capture images of bodily fluids like blood and saliva, which he sees as a way to represent the virus that causes AIDS. He has experimented with placing these fluids on plastic to use as photographic negatives, and has also transferred the images onto etching plates. In some cases, the photo itself is the final artwork, while in others Carew has collaged the images with historical AIDS-related pornography.

  • Carew's work will be featured in 'From All Sides of the Page At Once: a group exhibition of traditional (and not so traditional) printmaking' at Tempus Projects Flash Gallery from January 15 to March 19, 2026.
  • Carew's work will also be part of the University of South Florida's MFA Thesis Exhibition, which coincides with ArtHouse each year in April 2026.

The players

Patrick Carew

A Tampa-based artist and curator who is preparing to graduate from the University of South Florida, where he has been exploring the experience of living with HIV in the post-PrEP era through photography and printmaking.

Robert Gallo

One of the scientists credited with discovering HIV as the cause of AIDS, and the founding director of the USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation.

Phillip Furman

A co-inventor of Retrovir (AZT) who graduated from the University of South Florida in 1972.

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What they’re saying

“I was thinking of the ways HIV is tested for.”

— Patrick Carew, Artist (cltampa.com)

What’s next

Carew's work will be featured at the University of South Florida's MFA Thesis Exhibition, which coincides with ArtHouse each year in April 2026.

The takeaway

Carew's artistic exploration of HIV in the post-PrEP era provides a unique perspective on the changing landscape of HIV healthcare and treatment, highlighting the personal and emotional aspects of living with the condition.