New York Exhibition Spotlights AIDS Crisis Activism and Enduring Legacy of the AIDS Quilt
During the 1980s, the AIDS pandemic devastated the LGBTQ+ community in the United States, yet then-President Ronald Reagan’s administration remained largely unresponsive. Reagan did not publicly acknowledge the crisis until 1985, four years after the outbreak began. Critics point to disparities in government funding, noting that research into Legionnaire’s disease received significantly more resources than HIV research, despite the vastly greater impact of AIDS.
Community Activism Rises Amid Government Inaction
This governmental void spurred crucial grassroots activism within the LGBTQ+ community. A powerful symbol of this movement emerged: the AIDS Quilt. Conceived by Harvey Milk’s former intern, Cleve Jones, the quilt has evolved into what is considered possibly the largest community art endeavor globally, with new panels still being added.
“To Love-To Die; To Fight. To Live.” Exhibition Opens in NYC
To honor the quilt’s ongoing significance and the activism it represents, the School of Visual Arts in New York City presents the exhibition “To Love-To Die; To Fight. To Live.” This exhibition features documentary films about the AIDS pandemic, archival posters from the 1980s, historical artifacts, and “Witness,” a contemporary art exhibition. It serves as a tribute to the courageous individuals who combatted AIDS amidst governmental neglect and underscores the continued relevance of the pandemic in the U.S.
Michael Severance, an exhibit organizer and operations manager at the School of Visual Arts, notes a lack of awareness about the AIDS Quilt among some individuals. He emphasizes the necessity of exhibitions like this to recount the crisis and disseminate its history, particularly to younger generations who did not experience it firsthand.
AIDS Crisis: An Ongoing Public Health Issue
Despite advancements in medical treatments for HIV, AIDS persists as a significant health concern. Severance highlights the disproportionate impact in the Southern U.S., where infection rates are, in fact, increasing. “The majority of AIDS-related deaths in America occur in the South,” he stated, emphasizing the severity within African-American communities. The National AIDS Memorial in San Francisco actively utilizes quilt displays to promote AIDS awareness and education.
The Quilt’s Origins: Memorializing the Lost
Severance clarifies that the quilt’s initial purpose was not activism but rather commemorating those lost to the disease. Early in the AIDS crisis, affected communities, often marginalized and lacking resources, had limited avenues for expressing grief. “I remember losing many friends to AIDS,” Severance recounted, “but I don’t remember attending many funerals.” The quilt provided a vital means of remembrance and fostered community among those impacted by HIV/AIDS, both directly and indirectly.
From Grief to Action: The Quilt as a Tool for Activism
From these origins in communal mourning, the quilt evolved into a powerful instrument of activism. The exhibition showcases works by collectives like Gran Fury, who employed advertising strategies to advocate for those affected by HIV, alongside a film still by artist David Wojnarowicz. “It has become an extraordinary form of activism and knowledge sharing,” Severance observed. The quilt has expanded dramatically, growing from approximately 12,000 panels in 1989 to over 50,000 today. A central aim of the exhibition is to convey this legacy of community building, artistic expression, and organized action, and to inspire its replication.
Community Workshops: Engaging with the Quilt’s Legacy
Central to the exhibition are two day-long quilt-making workshops, inviting community members to contribute panels to the AIDS Quilt. “The quilt workshops are designed as spaces for healing, connection, learning, and dialogue about loss,” Severance explained. He drew parallels between the AIDS crisis era and contemporary challenges, noting the resurgence of homophobia and marginalization. “The same populations stigmatized during the HIV crisis are again vulnerable. Past discussions of internment camps for individuals with HIV/AIDS now resonate with the treatment of immigrants at Guantánamo.”
Aids Quilt, Block 2348 Photograph: Courtesy SVA Archives and the Milton Glaser Design Study Center and Archives
Lessons for Today: Activism and Remembrance
Severance underscores the enduring relevance of AIDS activism for the present political climate, particularly as transgender rights and the broader LGBTQ+ community face challenges. While the “To Love-To Die; To Fight. To Live.” exhibition was conceived earlier, Severance acknowledges its profound timeliness. “When we began planning this show, we could not have foreseen our current historical moment,” he said. “Given the current trajectory, it feels crucial to share and preserve these narratives before they are forgotten or erased.”
Combating Cultural Amnesia: The Urgency of Unvarnished History
Countering societal amnesia remains crucial. Despite the AIDS crisis emerging only four decades ago, subsequent events have obscured critical aspects of its history. Severance notes that other infectious diseases, such as Covid, Mpox, and measles, have similarly spurred community action. “Currently, for subjects like these, presenting the unvarnished truth of history is paramount.”
Severance hopes the AIDS crisis history will continue to inspire and guide, especially as marginalized communities require sources of hope and resistance. “We still have immense lessons to glean from history,” he concluded, “even as these histories face ongoing attacks.”