GRITO VIEJITO | THE WOUNDED HEALER

The artistry of Dolissa Medina and Gera Ananias Mendez Soria comes together in Grito Viejito. This interdisciplinary art project deftly combines personal history, cultural traditions, and the complexities of living with HIV. In a project that moves between folklore and the stark realities of illness, "Old Man / Sick Man / Shout" reinterprets "La Danza de los Viejitos" (The Dance of the Old Men) through the lens of queer survival and long-term HIV advocacy.

Medina, based between Berlin and the USA, and Méndez, in Oakland, have a long history dating back to the early 1990s when they were both part of San Francisco’s vibrant Latino arts scene. Their connection was forged through shared cultural and activist spaces in the Mission District, where HIV was an ever-present concern within their community. Both artists were involved in cultural projects that addressed HIV education, but their artistic collaboration did not take shape until much later.

For Medina, the project stems from a personal need to process her experience with loss. “I lost my cousin to AIDS in 1988 when I was a teenager,” she explains. “He was 27, and watching his body deteriorate so quickly left a lasting impression. He was so young, but he looked so old.” That image of premature aging, which she describes as both traumatic and transformative, haunted her for years. It became a central motif in "Viejito / Enfermito / Grito (Old Man / Sick Man / Shout), the project's first film. The short film draws on the traditional Mexican dance "La Danza de los Viejitos"—a performance in which young dancers imitate the movements of elderly men. For Medina, who grew up watching the dance, the uncanny juxtaposition of youth and age resonated with the way HIV forces individuals into premature physical decline.

Méndez, who has lived with HIV since the early ‘90s, brings a different but equally personal perspective to the project. Having spent decades navigating the complexities of his illness, Méndez’s participation is motivated by a desire to tell the stories of long-term HIV survivors, many of whom, like him, have had to confront a medical system that is often unprepared to address the realities of aging with HIV. “When Dolissa approached me with this project, I immediately connected with the idea,” Méndez says. “HIV has shaped my life in profound ways, and I’ve always used art as a tool to process that experience. Using "La Danza de los Viejitos"—a dance that mocks the frailty of colonial powers and yet expresses resilience—felt like the perfect metaphor for my journey with this illness.”

Their collaboration came naturally, with both artists recognizing the power of the "Viejito" figure to bridge cultural memory and personal history. Together, they began researching the origins of "La Danza de los Viejitos," a dance that originated with the Purépecha people of Mexico, with whom Mendez has maternal ancestry. Traditionally performed by elders to connect with spirits and ask for blessings, the dance evolved into an expression of sorrow and loss following the Spanish colonization. It eventually became a satire, with the dancers mocking the frailty and sickness of the colonizers by wearing white masks and exaggerating their movements.

Méndez and Medina saw in this dance a powerful symbol of how HIV had shaped their communities. “HIV forced so many people, myself included, to confront the realities of aging prematurely,” Méndez explains. “There’s a whole generation of us who have lived through this disease, but our experiences are often forgotten or overshadowed by the focus on prevention and youth.” The artists wanted to use the traditional dance as a means to not only explore their own stories but also to raise awareness about the physical and emotional toll of living with HIV for decades.

As they developed the "Grito Viejito" project, it took on layers of meaning. Méndez’s performance in the film is structured around three distinct phases. The first shows him embodying "El Viejito," from the traditional dance, his movements reflecting the exaggerated postures of age. As the performance progresses, Mendez transitions into "El Enfermito" (The Sick Man), with movements that depict the physical struggles of someone living with HIV, including joint pain and breathing difficulties—issues that long-term survivors often experience but are rarely discussed. The final phase shows him as "El Grito" -- a “curandero” or healer figure who channels the strength and resilience of the community, symbolizing survival and transformation.

For Méndez, the role of the “wounded healer” has deep personal resonance. “HIV has been both a curse and a tool for my growth,” he reflects. “When I was first diagnosed, there were no treatments, and I was essentially given a death sentence. But instead of giving up, I threw myself into creative projects. Through art, I found a way to heal, to turn my wound into something powerful.” Méndez’s journey mirrors that of many long-term survivors who, despite their struggles, have managed to thrive and build lives of meaning and creativity.

Medina’s role in the project extends beyond directing the film. As an experimental documentary filmmaker, she saw the importance of documenting Méndez’s experience as a long-term HIV survivor. The film is a form of social practice designed to spark conversations about public health, aging, and the resilience of the queer community.

One of the most striking elements of "Old Man / Sick Man / Shout" is the visual language Medina and Méndez created together. The cane, an essential prop in the traditional dance, becomes a central metaphor in the film. In "La Danza de los Viejitos", the dancers lock canes and move as one, a gesture that in "Grito Viejito" symbolizes both the transmission of HIV and the solidarity of the queer community. “The cane represents so much,” says Medina. “It’s about the ways we support each other as a community, but it’s also about how HIV connects us, how it has shaped our lives and brought us together.”

Another powerful motif in the film is the sequence where Méndez pantomimes taking medication and then brushes the pills away in frustration. “That moment speaks to the frustration that so many long-term survivors feel,” Méndez explains. “The medications that keep us alive also age us, and that’s something people don’t often talk about. We wanted to make that experience visible.” The film does not shy away from the harsh realities of living with HIV, but it also celebrates the resilience of those who have survived it.

"Old Man / Sick Man / Shout " is more than a film; Medina and Mendez see it as the foundation for the ongoing work of Grito Viejito, which hopes

to collaborate with additional artists in the future (the film featured costume work by embroidery artist Carlos Osuna @thehappyaccidentclub, who designed a "U=U" sleeve pattern to promote "Undetectable = Untransmittable," a public health message to reduce the stigma of HIV.)

Their next phase is an interactive portal called "The Portal of Silence," which will guide viewers through different stages of experience, culminating in short films. “We want to move beyond language and create something that speaks directly to the soul,” Méndez says. “It’s about silencing the mind and letting the body and spirit tell the story.”

For Medina, the project is part of a larger mission of “queer world-mending.” “Queer people, especially those living with HIV, often come from a place of trauma,” she says. “But through art and community, we heal ourselves. "Old Man / Sick Man / Shout" is about creating a space to reflect, share our stories, and build something beautiful out of our experiences.”

The work of Dolissa Medina and Gera Ananias Mendez Soria is a testament to the power of art to transform personal pain into collective healing. By reinterpreting a traditional Mexican dance through the lens of queer survival, "Old Man / Sick Man / Shout" bridges past and present, offering a vision of resilience that honors the lives of those who have survived HIV while reminding us of the ongoing struggle for queer liberation.

“We still have so much work to do,” Méndez says. “HIV isn’t the death sentence it once was, but the trauma remains. Through projects like this, we can ensure that the stories of long-term survivors are not forgotten and that future generations understand the importance of art, activism, and community in the fight for queer justice.”

Grito Viejito is expanding its efforts and seeking funding to support the project’s growth. One way to contribute is by purchasing prints from the exhibition on Artsy.net, where 81% of the proceeds go directly back to the project, with only a 19% commission going to Artsy. This is a great way to support both the artistic vision and the cause. Additionally, you can make a direct donation to help fuel the project by visiting igg.me/at/grito. Your generosity ensures that Grito Viejito can continue its important work and reach new milestones.