Creativity and Crisis: Unfolding the AIDS Memorial Quilt

James Deutsch, Guy Hemrick, Brian Holman, Anthony Knight, Nadine Licostie, Marsha MacDowell, Katherine Ott, Julie Rhoad, Mike Smith, Jeff Stott, Nomvula Mashoai-Cook, David Gere, Annie Groeber, Jada Harris, Teresa Hollingsworth, Linda Rethman

The year 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of The AIDS Memorial Quilt and 30 years of life with AIDS. With the introduction of The Quilt in 1987, The NAMES Project Foundation redefined the tradition of quilt making in response to contemporary circumstances. Through hands-on panel-making activities, individuals and communities have come together to remember loved ones, grieve, find support and strength, and engage in dialogues for change. In 2012, The Quilt contained nearly 48,000 panels, and it had been viewed by more than 18 million people. It is much more than pieced-together fabric squares: it is a moving and monumental creative collaboration; it is a catalyst to remember, understand, educate, and act. The 2012 Festival program featured the remarkable artistry, inspiration, and impact of The AIDS Memorial Quilt and provided the public with an unparalleled opportunity to experience this highly charged symbol of the AIDS crisis and the largest community art project in the world. It was the first Festival program to focus exclusively on community craft and performance directly developed in response to crisis and grief. With The AIDS Memorial Quilt as the anchor and through craft demonstrations, dance and musical performances, interactive discussions, and other activities, this program commemorated the innovative and resourceful ways through which communities have endeavored to educate people and to cope with one of the most complex pandemics in modern history. The Festival brought together approximately 100 visual artists, designers, quilters, dancers, musicians, community activists, and others who shared the knowledge and creativity that shape their efforts to disseminate the message of the AIDS crisis. Quilt panel-making groups demonstrated and taught a variety of traditional quilting techniques. Volunteers and staff from The NAMES Project Foundation performed the rituals surrounding new panels and Quilt displays. The program also featured other artistic responses to the AIDS crisis from the United States and South Africa, and presented moderated conversations with project contributors, community leaders, and pioneers. Festival venues served as sites for sharing and documenting visitors' personal stories and creative expressions related to living in the age of HIV and AIDS. Visitors of all ages had the opportunity to learn quilting techniques, make panels, and share stories from their own experiences. Sections of The Quilt were displayed throughout the Festival site, incorporated into the various demonstration and performance venues, and laid out on the National Mall - reinforcing The Quilt's size, visual impact, and the scale and diversity of people impacted by HIV and AIDS. Arlene Reiniger was Curator and Anna Kaplan was Program Coordinator. The NAMES Project Foundation team included: Julie Rhoad, Jim Marks, Roddy Williams, Gert McMullin, Jada Harris, Chili Crane, Brian Holman, and Ritchie Crownfield. Creativity and Crisis: Unfolding The AIDS Memorial Quilt program at the 2012 Festival was a partnership between the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and The NAMES Project Foundation, with the support and participation of many others.

Hilary Anderson David H. Bell, 1949-, writer and director, The NAMES Performers, Evanston, Illinois Tom Berklund Michael Berresse Leigh Blake Mary Bowman, 1988-, spoken word artist, Suitland, Maryland J.T. Bullock, 1980-, spoken word artist, Silver Spring, Maryland Reginald Cabico, 1970-, spoken word artist, Washington, D.C. Jostina Nomvula Mashoai-Cook, 1952-, Observatory-Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa William R. Crownfield, Jr., 1959-, Atlanta, Georgia Ryan Garson, 1991-, La Crosse, Wisconsin Dan Green Annie Groeber, New York, New York Addison Heimann Alex Hills Teresa Hollingsworth, 1968-, Atlanta, Georgia Terry Hooks Stephen Keen, 1956-, DJ, Berkeley, California Dwayne Lawson-Brown, spoken word artist, Community Outreach Coordinator for Metro Teen AIDS, Washington, D.C. Cindi Love Dale MacDonald, 1958-, Palo Alto, California Kathleen Mead Sherry Moore, 1956-, Desert Hot Springs, California Richard Moultrie Kelly Pochop Vivian Pochop Linda Rethman, 1958-, Berea, Durban, South Africa Kelly Rivera Hart, San Francisco, California Lili Romero De Simone Molly Smith Sonya Renee, 1976-, spoken word artist, Baltimore, Maryland The NAMES Performers, Performance Group A – Green -- The NAMES Performers, Performance Group A – GreenGeoffrey Button, 1976-, Evanston, IllinoisRobert Deason, 1984-, Chicago, IllinoisJessica Paige Kahkoska, 1991-, Evanston, IllinoisNathaniel Lewellyn, 1988-, Milwaukee, WisconsinPatrick Martin, 1977-, Chicago, IllinoisBrad Raymond, 1977-, Newnan, GeorgiaBethany Thomas, 1982-, Chicago, Illinois The NAMES Performers, Performance Group B - Blue -- The NAMES Performers, Performance Group B - BlueBrian J. Bohr, 1990-, Wheaton, IllinoisCarly Cantor, 1990-, Cincinnati, OhioEvelyn Jacoby, 1990-, Maplewood, New JerseyEmily Maltby, 1990-, New York, New YorkJevares Myrick, 1985-, Powder Springs, GeorgiaLatrice Ann Pace, 1978-, Atlanta, GeorgiaPatrick Sulken, 1990-, Evanston, Illinois The NAMES Project Foundation -- The NAMES Project FoundationCleve Edward Jones, 1954-, AIDS Memorial Quilt founder, San Francisco, CaliforniaMike Smith, The NAMES Project Foundation co-founder, San Francisco, CaliforniaJulie Rhoad, 1960-, Atlanta, GeorgiaJada Harris, 1966-, Atlanta, GeorgiaJames Marks, Jr., 1957-, Atlanta, Georgia Digital Component -- Digital ComponentRosemary Comella, 1961-, Los Angeles, CaliforniaTisha Dejmanee, 1985-, Los Angeles, CaliforniaBrittany Farr, 1988-, Los Angeles, CaliforniaBridgette Kidd, 1967-, Los Angeles, California Quilt Display -- Quilt DisplayKevin Crane, 1974-, warehouse manager, Avondale Estates, GeorgiaBradford James Gammell, 1962-, chapter program coordinator, quilt display co-manager, Wilton Manors, FloridaDeneice Garland, 1961-, display assistant, hand maiden/quilt repairer, Bowie, MarylandSheila Hamilton, 1970-, display assistant, Atlanta, GeorgiaKelly Hart, 1959-, display assistant, San Francisco, CaliforniaJoan Juster, 1953-, reader coordinator, San Francisco, CaliforniaWilfred Roczkos, panel maker, display assistant, Atlanta, GeorgiaSherman R. Williams, 1972-, project manager, Atlanta, Georgia 2362 Market Street -- 2362 Market StreetPhillip Andrew Cockrell, Jr., 1960-, panel-making assistant, Atlanta, GeorgiaKarl Burten Gustafson, 1958-, panel-making assistant, Atlanta, GeorgiaRaymond Slater Kinlock, III, 1949-, panel maker, hand maiden/quilt repairer, Solebury, PennsylvaniaJon Lopez, 1957-, panel maker, hand maiden/quilt repairer, Palm Springs, CaliforniaRick McCormack, 1956-, hand maiden/quilt repairer, Springfield, MissouriCindy Ann McMullin, 1955-, quilt production manager, panel maker, Atlanta, GeorgiaAudrey Muldoon, 1952-, hand maiden/quilt repairer, Peachtree City, GeorgiaLawrence Pellino, 1952-, panel maker, Avondale Estates, Georgia Common Threads -- Common ThreadsNokuphiwa Caroline Gedze, 1981-, embroiderer, Peddie, South AfricaDavid Gere, 1957-, co-curator, The A.R.T. Show, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUnathi Bulelwa Mtshemla-Meslane, 1974-, Keiskamma Trust, Peddie, South AfricaBeauty Ndlovu, 1960-, beaded doll maker, Cato Ridge, South AfricaLobolile Bhekiswephi Ximba, 1953-, beaded doll maker, Muden, South Africa Healing Arts -- Healing ArtsTeena Cahill-Dyer, 1946-, director of Wisdom and Beyond LLC, Princeton, New JerseyOsayi Endolyn, 1982-, storyteller, writer, Atlanta, GeorgiaNondumiso Hlwele, 1974-, artist, activist, Cape Town, South AfricaWilliam F. Howard, 1953-, photographer, Atlanta, GeorgiaValerie Knight, 1952-, expressive arts psychologist, New York, New YorkDouglas Lothes, 1958-, spoken word artist, Palm Springs, CaliforniaSydney March, 1954-, writing workshop facilitator, Washington, D.C.Jane Solomon, 1963-, body map facilitator, Cape Town, South Africa Quilting Bee -- Quilting BeeJada Harris, project manager, Atlanta, GeorgiaMarquetta Bell-Johnson, 1955-, panel-making facilitator, Stone Mountain, Georgia Shannon Brogdon-Grantham, 1987-, material culture specialist, Bowie, MarylandRasheeda Parada Burston, 1953-, teaching artist, call my name facilitator, Atlanta, GeorgiaClarissa Christine Crabtree, panel maker, display and workshop coordinator, Glendale, New YorkDonita Lanette Daniels, 1955-, panel maker, Atlanta, GeorgiaOnifa Funke Adesanya-Awoyade, 1964-, ritual performer, Seattle, WashingtonSonja Jackson, 1962-, panel maker, Clarkston, GeorgiaShelia Jones, 1957-, panel maker, Decatur, GeorgiaStephanie Laster, 1962-, panel maker, East Point, GeorgiaChristopher Locklear, 1969-, panel maker, Atlanta, GeorgiaKaren Meredith, 1947-, panel maker, Manahawkin, New JerseyAma Saran, 1948-, ritual specialist, Washington, D.C.Juanita Williams, 1956-, panel maker, Orangeburg, South Carolina Remember Their Names -- Remember Their NamesDarin Arrowood, Atlanta, GeorgiaAnne Balsamo, Los Angeles, California In Process… -- In Process…Adwoa Agyeman, Washington, D.C.Vanessa Crosson, 1953-, Upper Marlboro, MarylandPamela Rogers, 1942-, Capitol Heights, Maryland Rock Creek Singers -- Rock Creek SingersGiuseppe DeBartolo, 1976-, Washington, D.C.Robert Dragoset, Germantown, MarylandAndrew Harmon, 1973-, Washington, D.C.Kyle Holland, 1980-, Hanover, MarylandGeorge Huffman, 1958-, Washington, D.C.David Jonas, 1966-, Washington, D.C.John Jowers, 1980-, Hyattsville, MarylandJack Reiffer, 1944-, Washington, D.C.Lyn Van Noy, 1954-, Arlington, Virginia