I’m not very deep.

When I go to art exhibits, I need to read the explanations.

So last week, when I headed to the Canadian Art Reel Artists Film Festival screening of Art AIDS and the Fin de Siecle, I was very excited when it began to uncover the world of so-called “AIDS Artists.”

The movie focused on Toronto-based arts collective General Idea who worked together through the 70s and 80s before two of the three members died of AIDS in the early 90s.  GI’s portfolio includes an Aids Era where they took on issues related to the disease ravaging their community and the group’s own members.

You might be familiar with The Imagevirus Series where GI appropriated Robert Indiana’s famous LOVE painting and replaced it with the word AIDS.  The AIDS image was presented all over the world as posters and sculpture, prompting comment from activists and artists alike.  Some criticized GI for failing to include safe sex messages or calls for political action against the pandemic, while others felt that the images contributed in a positive way to normalizing the disease.  The film also showed a graffiti discussion on the surface of the AIDS statues, an unintentional side effect of art dealing with such a loaded virus.

GI’s later projects seemed to focus on more personal experiences with the disease, focusing on treatment and ultimately, death.  The group made several massive installations featuring anti-retroviral medications.  One depicted 365 days worth of treatment, a cavernous room lined with pills on all sides.  Another included massive capsules large enough to fit a human body.

After the death of members Jorge Frontal and Felix Partz, the remaining member, AA Bronson created an exhibit of portraits of the three members, presenting their final commentary on society and AIDS.  Just before his death, Jorge worked with AA to create a series of photos of himself which were reminiscent of the stark images of survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

Obviously, I’m no art critic, but I’m fascinated by people that deal with HIV/AIDS outside of statistics and massive UN reports.  Art, AIDS and the fin de Siecle was a great way to do this, I think.

For more in-depth look at the General Idea’s AIDS era:

http://www.aabronson.com/art/gi.org/works/latephoto.htm
http://www.queer-arts.org/archive/show4/forum/atkins/atkins.html
http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2001/102501/visualart1.html