SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /Californa Newswire/ — Courtesy of Under One Roof, the NAMES Project Foundation, the AIDS Emergency Fund, and San Francisco businessman Petyr Kane, sections of the renowned AIDS Memorial Quilt will be shown at various locations in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood the week of February 12 – 20, 2012.
Timed in concert with Valentine’s Day when many reflect on those they’ve loved, the exhibition is the largest San Francisco showing of the Quilt since its original home on Market Street closed in 1999. Sections of the Quilt will be shown at five locations throughout the week: the primary exhibition will take place the former Tower Records store at 2278 Market Street; other locations include the Under One Roof gift shop at 518A Castro Street, Catch restaurant at 2362 Market Street (where the Quilt and Under One Roof were initially housed), Bank of America at 501 Castro Street and BODY clothing store at 450 Castro Street.
The 2278 Market Street exhibit will feature 35 12’ x 12’ ‘Blocks’, or completed quilts, each comprised of eight 6’ x 3’ memorial panels – each panel created especially for one individual stricken by the AIDS crisis. The additional Quilt exhibits will house one 12’ x 12’ Block each.
The main Market Street exhibit will be open to the public free of charge from 12:00 noon – 8:00pm from Sunday, February 12th through Monday, February 20th. At 12:00 noon on the 12th, a traditional unfolding ceremony will be held, during which a traditional ‘reading of the names’ of those memorialized will take place.
“While the AIDS and HIV community has made tremendous progress across the last three decades in fighting this devastating disease, our battle is far from over and there is still much work to be done,” said Beth Feingold, executive director of Under One Roof. “We wanted to do something big that would draw attention back to this critical issue, and combat what we’re seeing as a decreasing concern about getting infected. We’re so grateful to all involved for their hard work in getting this event off the ground, and hope the Quilt will remind the community of the thousands of friends and loved ones we’ve lost through the years. They are still, and will continue to be, dearly missed.”
AEF executive director and NAMES Project co-founder Mike Smith says, “In a war against a disease that has no cure, The AIDS Memorial Quilt has evolved as our most potent tool in the effort to educate against the lethal threat of AIDS. By revealing the humanity behind the statistics, The AIDS Memorial Quilt helps teach compassion, triumphs over taboo, stigma and phobia; and inspires individuals to take direct responsibility for their own well-being and that of their family, friends and community.”
