Art often becomes a creative conduit for raising awareness about important social and political issues. Once again for World AIDS day a number of local arts and social service organizations have come together to present a variety of art events that highlight the ongoing need for awareness, action and education around the subject of AIDS.

On December 1st, 1989, the same year the UN announced the first World AIDS day, Visual AIDS organized a “day without art” as a national day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis. Reflecting on the tremendous role that art can play in exploring and drawing attention to AIDS issues, AIDS Vancouver, The Centre, Cineworks, The Dance Centre, Pacific Cinematheque, Out on Screen/Queer Film Festival, Vancouver New Music and VIVO Media Arts partner to present four days of film screenings, performances, artworks, installation and a panel discussion that all explore various aspects of promoting AIDS awareness through artistic creation.

A special thanks to our media sponsor Xtra West. See them here.

Cineworks, Out on Screen and Pacific Cinematheque present
Derek Jarman’s BLUE and Wrik Mead’s Deviate
Saturday 29 November 2008, 3pm
Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street)
Free

In his final—and most daring—cinematic statement, Jarman the romantic meets Jarman the iconoclast in a lush soundscape pulsing against a purely blue screen. Laying bare his physical and spiritual state in a narration about his life, his struggle with AIDS and his encroaching blindness, BLUE is by turns poignant, amusing, poetic and philosophical.

Deviate is a short Super 8 film in which friends of Dan Moyen, who died of AIDS in 1990, discuss their memories of him. During this discussion old footage of Dan expressing himself is projected into still life.

Curated by cheyanne turions.

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The Centre, Cineworks, Pacific Cinematheque, Vancouver New Music and VIVO present
Diamanda Galás, Attila Richard Lukacs, Paul Wong and others in conversation
Sunday 30 November, 3pm
Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street), reception to follow
Free

Art often becomes a creative conduit for raising awareness about important social and political issues. In a free panel discussion musician Diamanda Galás, painter Atilla Richard Lukacs and media artist Paul Wong will reflect on the tremendous role that art can play in exploring and drawing attention to AIDS. The conversation will focus on creative responses to the AIDS epidemic, exploring the potential of affecting change through focused, subtle and/or optimistic cultural interventions. Following the discussion, audience members are invited to stay for a reception and free screening of Annette Mangaard’s documentary General Idea: Art, AIDS and the fin de siècle.

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Cineworks and Pacific Cinematheque present
Annette Mangaard’s documentary General Idea: Art, AIDS and the fin de siècle (2008, 48 minutes)
Sunday 30 November 2008, 5pm
Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street)
Free

In 1969, on the heels of the summer of love, three young Canadian artists came together to form a collective called General Idea. When the 1980s brought the first labeled cases of AIDS, General Idea responded by making art that addressed the plague virus. In an unforgettable coup, they appropriated the well-known “LOVE” painting by Robert Indiana and replaced those four letters with AIDS, for the now world-famous logo. General Idea toured Europe and North America with massive political installation pieces that chronicle the devastating spread of the disease and its impact on their community. AA Bronson, the sole survivor of General Idea, narrates General Idea: Art, AIDS, and the fin de siècle lending personal relevancy to a poignant story of art and sexual politics. It is a tale of love, fame, overwhelming loss and, ultimately, of renewal.

Curated by cheyanne turions.