..August 1996.. ..Washington, DC.. The AIDS Quilt when it was displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It was unbelievably sad to see how massive it was. Each quilt was made for a person who has passed away from AIDS. The quilt was laid from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. A large amount of space. The names and the ages on the quilts spanned all demographics and ages; male, female, young, elderly, middle age, children, husbands, wives, lovers, partners, friends, artists, business people, a few famous people and mostly ordinary people who were loved by someone, etc…I remember wanting to find the quilt made for Freddie Mercury but as soon as I saw the landscape I realized that it’s entirety was more important than finding just one in a sea of millions.
The AIDS Quilt is the largest piece of community art ever shown. I’m not sure if it’s been displayed since I saw it in 1996. But the enormous size of the project demonstrates how serious a problem AIDS/HIV still is. I wish the quilt would still be exhibited every year so we don’t have the excuse of saying AIDS/HIV was a problem for a brief moment of time affecting only one or two types of people. It’s easy to believe stereotypes when you’re wearing blinders.
Today is World AIDS Day and there is barely a mention of AIDS. AIDS still ends too many lives. I don’t want to forget those who have been affected.
