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Tuesday, December 1, 1998

Day of mourning

ART: A Day Without Art, an exhibit which commemorates World AIDS Day,

brings a powerful message to the UCLA campus

By Terry Tang

Daily Bruin Contributor

It would be difficult for any Bruin to imagine lounging on a grassy knoll in the treasured Murphy Sculpture Garden without the sculptures.

Shrouding various statues in black tarps provides a dramatic example of how the AIDS virus affects people through any medium.

A Day Without Art, the art community's contribution to World AIDS Day, gives countless museums throughout the world a platform to promote AIDS awareness. Surrounded by art galleries, UCLA will not be left out of the celebration.

With the support of the Armand Hammer Museum, the Student Committee for the Arts (SCA) will continue an annual tradition of concealing as many sculptures as they have tarps.

"Art is an easy vehicle to let people know about HIV," says Mitchell Kamrava, a third-year molecular cell and developmental biology student and SCA coordinator in charge of the covering of the Sculpture Garden. "It's much easier for them to put up these cloths, and it makes a bigger impact than just (talking about) HIV by itself."

Aside from being covered, each hidden sculpture will sport a flier explaining the premise behind a Day Without Art and the occasion's purpose of commemorate AIDS-related deaths, particularly those in the artistic community.

Kamrava hopes that seeing the shrouded bronze and marble pieces will captivate observers.

"First, it makes you go, 'Why?' Then you either think, 'Oh, it's just another student group doing something kind of ridiculous and out there,' or 'What's the deal with this?' So, if a student takes the initiative and reads (the flier), then we hope it might invoke awareness," Kamrava says.

Other museums in the Los Angeles area are also getting in on the act. For instance, the Armand Hammer Museum will offer free admission all day, as well as red ribbons and AIDS intervention brochures at its membership counter.

"There is no special exhibition. The museum just wants to give easy access," says Henry Hopkins, director of the Armand Hammer Museum. "Certainly, there is a loss of revenue, but we feel it's worth it for this occasion."

The Getty Museum will commemorate Day Without Art by darkening each of its eight galleries in one-hour increments. Educational fliers which explain the significance of Dec. 1 and an AIDS resource guide will also be available for patrons.

Although the Fowler Museum is not officially open Tuesday, the education department will explain the purpose of Day Without Art to all its tour groups, which usually consist of elementary and junior high students.

"We want to introduce a Day Without Art to the students who may have never heard of it or don't understand it," says Kristen Quine, coordinator of Fowler's public programs.

According to Roger Bohman, professor in the molecular cell and developmental biology department, anything that people do to increase AIDS awareness should be welcomed.

"Even if it's mostly a symbolic thing, it's a whole lot better than nothing," Bohman says. "Will it change the course of the epidemic? Probably not. Will it make people more aware? I think the answer is yes."

Day Without Art is just one aspect of World AIDS Day, which emphasizes the global perspective of the impact of the virus. Although Americans live in an age in which contraceptives are as accessible as aspirin and there are medical treatments to combat HIV, many other countries are typically cut off from education and care.

"The death rate for AIDS in America decreased 55 percent last year, which means there is great optimism," Bohman says. "But the pessimistic part of me sees that the developing countries of the world, the have-nots of the world, are always the people who never reap the benefits of Western technology in society."

While preparing for the covering of the Sculpture Garden, Kamrava was amazed at the extent of HIV infection throughout the world.

"The statistic that I put on the flier is pretty astounding: 16,000 new HIV cases reported every day. What I think about most is just the fact that it's still a problem, but I don't hear about it," Kamrava says.

"We all know how to protect ourselves now, but clearly there are people in other countries that are just not as well prepared."

Technological advances in America have prompted hope that the AIDS epidemic diminishing. As a result, some Americans may end up feeling increasingly apathetic toward AIDS awareness. Even Bohman sees World AIDS Day becoming a quieter affair.

"In my opinion, there used to be a lot more going on. I can remember two or three years ago, I was invited to a candlelight vigil on North Campus to celebrate World AIDS Day. I haven't been invited to anything this year. So I just think it's a thing that's diminishing."

Despite the absence of any campus vigils or marches, the Day Without Art project gives people who have never encountered HIV or AIDS in their lives a connection to the disease. Art, like film, television or music, is a medium that anybody can experience.

"There are a lot of artists who pass away from AIDS. And just because you're not a personal friend of theirs, it doesn't mean that you haven't been affected by them," Kamrava says.

"You're still affected by people that are HIV-positive, but it might not be your mom or your friend. I think this can be demonstrated just by asking (yourself) 'Wow, if this sculpture weren't here, would my world be any different?' Maybe it wouldn't, but I think for a lot of people, if the sculptures weren't here, it would be a little different for them."

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