Haven’t checked my mail slot at home in a few days since I’ve been busy with my mates in town, but among the pile was an invitation from Visual AIDS to submit to this year’s Postcards From The Edge benefit. For those that don’t know this is perhaps one of the more exciting and truly benefiting events that have, since 1998, been a staple of the New York art scene. Visual AIDS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of the AIDS epidemic through the visual arts and performance, and have been around since 1988.
They are perhaps best known – consciously or not – for their Red Ribbon campaign (TANGENT!: contrary to the Wikipedia article just linked:
*I’m not so sure the ‘popularity’ of the red ribbon has declined, given that the government of Hong Kong has adopted at least the notion of the red ribbon as the logo for their Red Ribbon Centre, a specific agency in the Department of Health researching and providing free public access to HIV/AIDS awareness and resources
*I don’t know what the hell the article author intended by saying the red ribbon became
a politically correct fashion accessory on the lapels of celebrities
I mean what the fuck, how can you be politically correct towards a virus that effects every gender, race and economic class?!
TANGENT END!)
Sooooooooooo, this all goes back to the piece of mail I got! I thought it was nice of Visual AIDS to remind me to submit work. Because of course I will, but with so many other deadlines always looming, it’s nice to have that reminder knocking down your door, even though I’ve submitted work for the past two years and neither year my work has sold! Which is sad, not because I want to sell my work – I could care less probably – but because I would like to donate to Visual AIDS and their cause, and can’t afford actual money as it is, but can afford to donate artwork to them; I can make a piece in less than an hour but can’t give $75, which is what a postcard cost to buy.
(Of course last year I bought several postcards, but I saved up for those over several months beforehand, hoping to buy some works. Which ended up being a major catalyst for the inaugural Normal Space exhibition.)
Point being it would be a good idea for all you other artists to donate to Visual AIDS, so click here to do exactly that!
Related websites:
BBC article online about red ribbon