Artists, Artwork and the AIDS Crisis in the USA with Dr. Alicja Reksc

The AIDS epidemic began in 1981 and shocked the world. In the apocalyptic Cold War era, a disease that directly targeted marginalized people-- the gay community, drug users, and sex workers--was a bombshell. Some saw the virus as a plague sent by God and used the disease as a political tool to push far-right-wing narratives. American President Ronald Reagan first spoke the word "AIDS" in public only after tens of thousands of Americans had died from the disease in the USA.

In this seminar, we will look at heroic activist artists, many of whom were afflicted with the disease. In their hands, art became a weapon with a sharp blade that immortalized the drama of those strange times. Their work tells of the horror of death in different ways: some pieces are physical representations of loss and prove the enormous power of preserving memory. In contrast, others show the incredible power of activism and solidarity.

We will look at a few American artists’ life and work, such as David Wojnarowicz, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Félix González-Torres. Themselves victims of the fatal virus, we will explore how they used their talent to express their anger and fear. These artists wanted to bear witness to the unjust alienation experienced by all people living with AIDS and also share the horrific reality of living with a disease with no cure.

Led by an expert on contemporary art history, Alicja Reksc, this interactive seminar will explore the activist artwork created during the AIDS crisis. Designed to inform curiosity and future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of how the AIDS epidemic influenced artists and how artists, in turn, influenced public opinion.

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