NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
Overview
The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt, is an enormous quilt
made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS
-related causes. Weighing an estimated 54 tons, it is the largest piece of community folk art
in the world as of 2010.
The idea for the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt was conceived in 1985 by AIDS activist Cleve Jones
during the candlelight march, in remembrance of the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk
and Mayor George Moscone
.
Quilt
A quilt is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties...
made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related causes. Weighing an estimated 54 tons, it is the largest piece of community folk art
Community art
Community Art could be loosely defined as a way of creating art in which professional artists collaborate more or less intensively with people who don't normally actively engage in the arts. Community arts, also sometimes known as "dialogical art", "community-engaged" or "community-based art,"...
in the world as of 2010.
The idea for the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt was conceived in 1985 by AIDS activist Cleve Jones
Cleve Jones
Cleve Jones is an American AIDS and LGBT rights activist. He conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt which has become, at 54 tons, the world's largest piece of community folk art as of 2009...
during the candlelight march, in remembrance of the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
and Mayor George Moscone
George Moscone
George Richard Moscone was an American attorney and Democratic politician. He was the 37th mayor of San Francisco, California, US from January 1976 until his assassination in November 1978. Moscone served in the California State Senate from 1967 until becoming Mayor. In the Senate, he served as...
.
