Patches of Tragedy

A quilt is more than functional weaving that drapes over a tired body. It is also a tool of education, a piece of art, a statement of political and social aims and a means of healing. The traveling AIDS Memorial Quilt is currently on display at Mather House’s Three Columns Gallery as part of a show that also features photography and video works related to the AIDS epidemic.

The Quilt arrived at Harvard through the initiative of Sarah Ann Murphy ’05 and Avra Van Der Zee ’02. Murphy works for the UHS-sponsored AIDS Education and Outreach program, which educates the Harvard community—especially first-years—about HIV/AIDS and STDs.

Murphy sees the quilt as an important statement. “Bringing panels of the quilt to Harvard would affect people in a way our outreaches can’t,” she told The Crimson. “It’s one thing to be presented with facts and information; it’s another to see panels handmade for loved ones…These panels could be a memorial to anyone. That is important to realize about HIV/AIDS—no one is immune.”

The NAMES Memorial AIDS Quilt began in 1985 at a gay rights vigil with cardboard name placards dedicated to those lost to AIDS. It was first displayed as a fabric quilt in 1987 in Washington D.C. From an initial 1,920 panels, the quilt has grown to 44,000 panels—a total size of 26 football fields. The quilt has been on display in Washington, DC several times, including at President Clinton’s Inauguration. Likewise, the panels have toured throughout the nation, attracting 14.5 million visitors.

The quilt includes contributions from Romania, Uganda, Taiwan, South Africa, Guatemala and Holland. The tours and other fundraising efforts have raised $3.2 million for direct services of those affected by the disease. The styles of the panels vary greatly. Some commemorate parents and children—such as activist Elizabeth Glaser and her daughter Ariel—while others celebrate the famed—including Arthur Ashe, Perry Ellis, Eazy E, Keith Haring, Michel Foucault, Rudolf Nureyev and author Arnold Lobel.

Yet the stories of the everyday person prove the most poignant. Articles such as Barbie dolls, wedding rings, stuffed animals and love letters adorn panels with heart-wrenching messages of parents, nephews and friends interwoven into the fabric of the quilt’s panels.

Between three white columns hang a handful of panels that depict life stories through words, images, objects. There’s the story of Larry Dahl, gay activist, music lover and father; Dr. Woody Mosely, a Major in the U.S. army; Steven J. DuBois, who loved Disney World—and whose nephew loved him, as a note attached to the quilt testifies; and Pedro Zamora, the young man who brought HIV/AIDS awareness to the youth of America on MTV.

Also on display is the photography of Ellen Shub, whose work since 1985 has focused on AIDS awareness. The photographs “add a lot to the display as they document people’s reactions to the Quilt,” according to Murphy. Her photographs of crying viewers of the Quilt surround the panels.

As the quilt grows, it reminds of the increasing numbers of deaths from the pandemic. One American under the age of 22 is infected with HIV every hour, with a disproportionate number of infections in the Latino and Black communities. Internationally, AIDS is the leading killer in the developing world. The quilt chronicles only a portion of those who struggle with the memories of those lost. The display is vitally important, says Murphy.

“AIDS is an epidemic our generation has to face, hopefully with compassion,” Murphy said. “But compassion isn’t a solution, research into possible cures, education, and relief to those who can’t afford the expensive cocktail of drugs are proactive efforts…When faced with the Quilt, the disease became very real to me. The 40,000 Americans infected each year is not just a number; it is a life affected and changed forever.”