Hello reader(s), I hope you are doing well during these turbulent times!
I was taking an art class recently where one of my assignments was to pick from 10 different art pieces and respond to the prompt “why is this work culturally significant?” & “what is your personal connection to the work?”
I remember selecting this piece because the news was running stories about banning the 2nd amendment rights of trans people. Needless to say I was(and still am) irritated with their abusively hypocritical governance style, so I chose to write about this quilt instead of the other pieces. Take a read below if you’d like and thank you for visiting!
NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, 1987-present, textile, Washington, D.C.
The focus of this week’s art submission is a public art piece that compiles the work of many contributing artists, holding significance to both the American community & the LBGTQIA+ community. More specifically, I’m speaking of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, 1987-present, textile, Washington, D.C. This powerful piece of art is impactful not only because of its scale but because of its purpose. Inspired in 1985 during the organization of an important candlelight vigil, Cleve Jones expressed that when he saw the names of the deceased adhered to the San Francisco Federal Building, he thought of a patchwork quilt. When this piece was released in 1987 each patch represented a person who lost their life due to the AIDS virus, many of whom were denied the dignity of a proper burial. It started at around 1,900 patches and has since grown to somewhere between 40,000 to 50,000 patches. It collectively spans over 1.2 million square feet and weighs over 50 tons. This work has abstract qualities in the sense that it’s patched together with a large variety of styles, but I think many would agree that the social significance of this work takes precedence over its style or execution.
My personal connection to this work is the meaning behind it more than anything else. The artistic quality is definitely there but the act of paying respect to those who’ve moved on is what makes this special. In this particular image I also appreciate that the display of quilts is in view along with the Washington Monument. I imagine the moment in this photo was a very special moment for everyone involved in bringing the quilt to life. Another central reason I connected with this quilt is because family members that I love are a part of the LBGTQIA+ community and I want to learn more about it so that I can better show my support. If you had asked me what my stance was on this topic 10 years ago I would have agreed that the injustices that queer communities face are wrong, but I would’ve been too insecure to stand against it. For that reason pieces like the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt are very important. It is such a vast installation that one must literally & figuratively step outside of themselves to experience it and honor the meaningful lives of those who have passed on. It is saddening that they are no longer with us, but I am grateful to them for the reminder to cherish our friends and family in the LBGTQIA+ communities. I regret it when I realize that people I claimed to care about were forced to suffer discrimination by themselves due to my weakness of character. We all deserve the ability to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness no matter who we are and It is for that reason that the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt is my art submission for the week.
Works Cited
National AIDS memorial. “The History of the Quilt.” http://www.aidsmemorial.org, National AIDS Memorial, 2021, http://www.aidsmemorial.org/quilt-history.
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