Memorial quilt finds a home

The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG, patron of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, will be among key speakers at a launch marking the Powerhouse Museum's acquisition this month of the Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The idea for the very first AIDS quilt was born in the United States in the 1987 during a candlelight vigil, where a patchwork of placards honouring the names of those who had died from AIDS was laid out. San Francisco gay activist Cleve Jones wanted to see the display in a more permanent medium and worked closely with friends to form sewing bees, resulting in the very first AIDS quilt panels. This was officially known as the NAMES project.

Within four months of its launch, 1,920 panels over an area spanning two football fields were laid out in front of the White House, honouring the names of lost and intended to demand action on the crisis from President Reagan.

Australian Andrew Carter saw the quilt while travelling in the US and in September 1988 joined Richard Johnson in founding Australia’s own Memorial AIDS Quilt. Ita Buttrose, who was chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS), formally launched the 35-panel quilt in Sydney on 1 December that year.

"The launch of the AIDS quilt was both a sad and happy occasion for everyone who was there," recalls Buttrose. "I have never been to any quilt ceremony where I haven’t been moved to tears – the feelings the quilt generates are that powerful. I was honoured to have been asked to launch the AIDS Quilt in Australia. It holds very special memories for me and always will."

Directly after its launch, quilt blocks from across the country were appearing in staggering numbers, reflecting the AIDS crisis peak in the late 80s and early 90s. The quilt was designed aim to preserve individual stories through every stitch. "[The quilt] captured the personality of the individuals," says Philip Diment, convenor of the Quilt Project in Sydney. "It included clothing, personal effects, music, even travel tickets. That is the significance of the quilt – it comes with stories."

For many, the quilt was a way of immortalising the memory of a loved one. It was an opportunity to share and signify a life. However, the storytelling was not just limited to the survivors.

"People who knew they were going to die were actually creating their own panels in a bid to tell their story their own way," recalls Diment. "It may seem odd, however it was comforting to them knowing they were leaving their mark on something relevant."

Today, the relevance of the 3,000 names on the 130 quilt blocks has changed. Diment believes the quilt has "become more powerful as a remembrance, rather than an educating tool in today’s society." Preserving this remembrance has always been a priority from Diment."I was truly concerned for the quilt's future. Where would it end up after those of us who carry the memories today are gone ourselves?"

These concerns led Diment to approach Sydney's Powerhouse Museum asking them to acquire the quilt and provide it with a permanent home. Currently in the process of being inspected and catalogued by the Powerhouse, the quilt will soon see up to 110 of its blocks come together.

The Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at the Powerhouse Museum from Thu 12 Feb.

More of queer Sydney? Sign up for our monthly queer Sydney newsletter