November 30 2007

Art often becomes a creative conduit for raising awareness about important social and political issues. Reflecting on the tremendous role that art can play in exploring and drawing attention to AIDS issues, AIDS Vancouver, The Centre, Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Society, The Dance Centre, Out on Screen and Vancouver New Music partner to present a week with film screenings, discussions, a presentation, an exhibition and multi-media installation that all explore various aspects of AIDS awareness through artistic creation.

Cineworks is pleased to present the following events:

ZERO PATIENCE
Friday, 30 November 2007
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm, artist Q&A and reception to follow
VanCity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street
Tickets $10/$7 students/seniors, available at the door

The Centre, Cineworks, Out on Screen and Vancouver New Music are pleased to present a screening of John Greyson’s film Zero Patience. Greyson’s award winning musical-comedy presents a unique refutation of the idea that AIDS was brought to North America by a single, traceable person–“Patient Zero.”

In Zero Patience the ghost of Zero returns to haunt Sir Richard Burton, a museum curator who is intending to present the Patient Zero hypothesis as part of an exhibit in his Hall of Contagion.

John Greyson will be present for a Q&A following the film.

ART + ACTIVISM: Artist panel moderated by Sadira Rodrigues (VAG)
Saturday, 01 December 2007
4:30pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street
Free

Sadira Rodrigues moderates a panel discussion with sound, media and visual artists about art and political activism. Panelists include Gwen Haworth, John Greyson, Tiko Kerr, David Wall and others.

THE QUEEN’S SORE THROAT – A lecture demonstration by John Greyson
Sunday, 02 December 2007
2pm with reception to follow
Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe Street
Free

Spinning off the work of Wayne Koestenbaum, Douglas Crimp, Linda Hutcheon and others concerning notions of activism, the queer martyr, the operatic spectacle, and the rendering of the American and African AIDS pandemics in song, this lecture explores the use of voice, song and opera in John Greyson’s work addressing AIDS. Throughout the lecture Greyson will reference clips from his films, including the agit-prop PSA The ADS Epidemic, a safer-sex remake of Death in Venice, excerpts from Greyson’s AIDS musical Zero Patience, and scenes from his recent video-installation Fig Trees, which reimagines the treatment strike of South African AIDS activist Zackie Achmat.

The following events are also taking place as part of the Art + Activism World AIDS Day events:

Project Stitch : The Digital AIDS Quilt exhibition
Friday, November 30, 2007 (runs to December 9, 2007)
Official opening 2pm, reception to follow
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street – main lobby

Project Stitch launches the display of its collaborative multi-media community art project– a Digital AIDS Quilt created by local and international youth. Project Stitch is a youth focused, HIV-awareness initiative launched in 2006 by AIDS Vancouver with the support of local youth and community groups. Project Stitch consists of an interactive website, community-based workshops, mentoring opportunities, collaborative art project (the AIDS Digital Quilt) and a large-scale multi-media World AIDS Day event on December 1st.

Fig Trees – a video-opera installation by John Greyson and David Wall
Saturday, December 1; opening reception and performance 3pm
December 2 - 9; open noon – 8pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street
Suggested donation $5 - $20

Fig Trees is a multimedia opera installation that considers treatment and political issues in the story of Zackie Achmat, a South African man living with AIDS. Achmat’s decision to refuse treatment until medication was available to all who needed it made international headlines.
Special live performance Dec. 1st at 3pm featuring Melanie Adams, Olivia Kurth, Carman Price and David Wall.

A youth focused World AIDS Day event!
Saturday, December 1, 2007; 7pm
Ironworks Studio, 235 Alexander Street
Free - all ages

Join us this December 1st for an evening of art, music, performance and exhibition of the 2007 Digital AIDS Quilt.

If you would like more information about World AIDS Day events in Vancouver, visit http://www.newmusic.org, call Cheyanne Turions at 604.685.3841 or send an electronic message to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).