Opening Celebration: Saturday, April 13, 6-8pm

The launch will feature a performed reading of Henry’s memoir, “I Win,” and a Q&A with Henry.

The memoir is an adaptation of the life story of Henry Szczepanski, a disabled man who lives in Coler Hospital on Roosevelt Island.

The reading will be held alongside an exhibit of Henry’s work as a photographer and writer, as well as the work of his wife, Juanita, who was a filmmaker and an AIDS activist.

Image Descriptions:

The first image is a square with a deep teal background and an image of two people. At left, a white man with long, grey hair and glasses. At right, a woman with light brown skin and long, blue-green hair, who leans her head on the man beside her. Accompanying this photo is the following text:  POSITIVE EXPOSURE GALLERY. HENRY & JUANITA: Film, Photography, Memory. Opening, Performance, and Q&A. Saturday, April 13, 6-8pm. Memoir Workshops: Friday, April 12, 2-5pm & Saturday, April 13, 12-5 pm. On View: April 12-27. Beneath this is the NYSCA logo.

The following four images are also squares with deep teal and/or white backgrounds, and the following text:

Henry & Juanita tells the story of three lives. The life of Henry, the life of Juanita, and the story of their lives together. Henry Szczepanski is a photographer and writer who is currently living at the Coler Rehab Hospital on Roosevelt Island. Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski was a mother, a grandmother, a filmmaker, and an activist. Together they found love and purpose. They found peace and adventure. They built a legacy that we honor today.

Opening Celebration: Saturday, April 13, 6-8pm. The launch will feature a performed reading of Henry’s memoir, “I Win,” and a Q&A with Henry. The reading will be held alongside an exhibit of Henry’s work as a photographer and writer, as well as the work of his wife, Juanita, who was a filmmaker and an AIDS activist. Actors: Harvey Pacht, Molly Kohl, Kelly Deegan, and two others.

The Memoir: The memoir is an adaptation of the life story of Henry Szczepanski, a disabled man who lives in Coler Hospital on Roosevelt Island.

Open Rehearsals: Actors will rehearse the theatrical reading of an adaptation of Henry’s memoir. Open to the public. Friday, April 12, 2-5pm. Saturday, April 13, 12-5pm.

Multimedia Exhibition: On View April 12-27. Contact 212-420-1931 or events@positiveexposure.org. 14 East 109th Street, NYC

Henry Szczepanski: My name is Henry Szczepanski, I am 70 years old, and I live in Coler Rehab Hospital on Roosevelt Island. I was born in Manhattan 1953 from immigrant parents. Growing up my parents installed in my a belief in the equality of people, I want to see people walking around without fear, I don’t want to see self-serving politicians. What is important in my life is family, friends, and the knowledge of self-discovery. My art is diverse, always looking for different and interesting things and faces. I’ve been curious about the world.

Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski: Juanita Mohammed Szczepanski (1957-2022) was a prolific AIDS activist videomaker. Her body of work investigates the intersections between overlooked and under-appreciated populations: women, children, people of color, and the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ communities. Her videos are intimate stories made in collaboration with her participants. In her final work, a collaborative video made with Alexandra Juhasz, Juanita tells of a discovery she made early on, when she first started doing work around HIV/AIDS. ” had a specialty-I made people feel comfortable talking to me.” With a lovely smile and an open, caring face, Juanita did indeed have a special quality. When she began volunteering at the Multimedia Unit at GMHC, she would talk about the people she’d met and the way their lives had been impacted by HIV /AIDS. She went on to tell their stories in her videos.