Courtesy of the Fowler Museum Daniel Goldstein and John Kapellas' "Medicine Man" — made of medicine bottles, syringes and steel/nylon wire — represents the expensive drug cocktail HIV-positive people must take in order to survive.

Even though artists at work are expected to immerse themselves in their chosen medium, it's still a bit startling to see Fiona Kirkwood sitting in the middle of hundreds of latex condoms at UCLA's Fowler Museum.

Kirkwood had arranged the condoms into eight capital letters. Together, they spelled out "SURVIVAL."

She's chosen her word wisely. The condom installation is part of the new "Make Art/Stop AIDS" exhibit that is making its debut at the Fowler before going on tour.

Kirkwood is a native of Durban, South Africa, an area particularly hard hit by the AIDS epidemic. For the past several years she has used her installation projects to raise awareness about AIDS, a disease that has killed more than 25 million people since it was first diagnosed in 1981.

The "Make Art/Stop AIDS" exhibit features 60 works by artists from the United States, South Africa, India and Brazil. It's designed to explore how artists around the world are responding to HIV/AIDS and how their work can raise awareness and inspire activism.

Curators David Gere and Robert Sember had several artists create new pieces specifically for the show.

"We had a series of very intense conversations for years about the kinds of issues that we should present," Sember said. "We wanted to pose questions, not only to the viewer but to the institutions themselves that show them."

The exhibit begins with a question: "What is AIDS?" The topic is explored through magnified, color images of the actual AIDS infection as it attacks blood cells.

"That section moves quickly to the next, which is Who Lives, Who Dies?' " said Gere, standing next to "Medicine Man," by Daniel Goldstein and John Kapella. The sculpture was built with dozens of amber plastic pill containers, which are surrounded by syringes.

The bottles represent the many costly medications HIV-positive people need to stay alive.

"The artists explained to us that this is a reminder that without these drugs they would be dead," Gere said. "They are completely dependent on these medications. At the same time, it also shows how they had access to these drugs, but not everyone does."

The next section, "Why Are Condoms Controversial?," is highlighted by a couture gown designed by Brazilian artist Adriana Bertini. The bright pink sleeveless dress, titled "Eva," looks like a typical runway number, until closer inspection reveals that the entire dress is covered in factory rejected condoms.

Unlike most museum exhibitions, Gere said visitors are encouraged to use their cell phones to take photos of the dress or other items and share them with friends. The major objective of the exhibit, Gere and Sember said, is to spur people to action in the fight against AIDS.

Kirkwood's "SURVIVAL" installation, situated next to Bertini's dress, features both male and female condoms, which Kirkwood said was important to include so viewers understood that more than one option exists to protect against the disease.

The "Are You Afraid to Touch?" section deals with some of the taboos surrounding AIDS, and includes photographs, drawings and a video that deal with the physical caring for those living with AIDS.

"When Was the Last Time You Cried?" contains an interactive display by Jean Carlomusto titled "The Portrait Gallery of AIDS: A Living Archive." Images of AIDS activists, some living and some dead, are printed on buttons that, when pushed, start a one-minute film about that person.

The second-to-last section is "Why a Red Ribbon?," which deals with the most recognizable symbol associated with AIDS. Is it a helpful tool, the artists wonder, or has the red ribbon become a fashion emblem that has lost its emotional impact?

Finally, there's "Are You Ready to Act?" At the end of the section, visitors receive a booklet filled with information about dealing with HIV/AIDS.

"We want this show to be more than something you think about while you're here and then forget after you leave," Gere said.

— E-mail freelance columnist Jeff Favre at jjfavre@yahoo.com.