ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS for Visual AIDS’ 28th Annual Day With(out) Art
On December 1, World AIDS Day, BRIC is proud to present a screening of ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS, a video compilation in which seven artists— Mykki Blanco, Cheryl Dunye with Ellen Spiro, Reina Gosset, Thomas Allen Harris, Kia Labeija, Tiona McClodden and Brontez Purnell–were commissioned to create short videos ~7 minutes each in length, about the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis. This is the 28th iteration of Visual AIDS’ longstanding Day With(out) Art project. This hour-long video program will be screened from 1-6pm on the garage doors of the gallery at BRIC House.
Curated by Erin Christovale and Vivian Crockett, ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS looks to prioritize Black narratives within the ongoing AIDS epidemic. In spite of the impact of HIV/AIDS within Black communities, these stories and experiences are constantly excluded from larger artistic and historical narratives. In 2016 African Americans represented 44% of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Given this context, it is increasingly urgent to feature a myriad of stories that consider and represent the lives of those housed within this statistic. ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS seeks to highlight the voices of those that are marginalized within broader Black communities nationwide, including queer and trans folks.
The commissioned projects range from intimate meditations of a young HIV positive protagonist, to a contemporary re-imagining of 90s-era “safer sex” media culture, to a musical journey through New York exploring historical traces of queer and trans life, to accounts from formerly incarcerated women living with HIV/AIDS in the Bay Area. Together, the videos provide a platform centering voices deeply impacted by the ongoing epidemic.
Additional information, artist/curator bios, and updates on our planned 2017 Day With(out) programming can be found here: www.visualaids.org/projects/detail/alternate-endings-radical-beginnings
Visual AIDS (a non-profit committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness through the production and presentation of visual art projects) organized the first Day With(out) Art on December 1, 1989 -- a national day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis.
Venue Information:
The Stoop at BRIC House is a public cultural gathering space featuring free, drop-in programming, and offering a place to sit, observe, and participate in multi-disciplinary work.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2022, attendees of any BRIC House programming will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the building. Masks are encouraged but not required in all BRIC operated spaces. If you have questions regarding this protocol, please email Safety@bricartsmedia.org