During the 1980s and 90s, HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacted the lives of the LGBTQ community. Most people who died due to AIDS did not receive a funeral. In response, activist Cleve Jones started the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt and asked people to write the names of lost loved ones on signs. The signs were then taped to the San Francisco Federal Building. Inspired by the image—which looked like a quilt—Jones and his friends began plans for a larger memorial.
They started creating large quilt panels to honor and celebrate the lives of people lost to the AIDS pandemic. In 1987, the quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Volunteers around the world began contributing their own panels to the quilt. Today, it is considered one of the largest community art projects with 50,000 panels dedicated to more than 110,000 individuals. We encourage you to explore the online interactive version of the quilt, so you can experience the love and stories stitched into each panel.
No comments:
Post a Comment