Herbert Art Gallery hosts Coventry’s first AIDS Memorial Quilt as it begins tour of Coventry venues
18 July 2024
In the lead-up to Pride Coventry 2024 next month, The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is proudly displaying Coventry’s first AIDS Memorial Quilt as it begins a tour around Coventry venues.
The handmade quilt, a collaborative effort designed by Coventry Pride Trustees Richard Harty and Peter Ambler, along with artist and HIV activist Garry Jones, was sewn together by a Birmingham-based women's sewing group.
Funded by Public Health and Coventry City Council, the quilt aims to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS, while also celebrating those living with the illness and educating the public on HIV prevention and treatment advancements.
Inspired by the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt from 1985, this quilt is a poignant tribute to the LGBTQIA+ community and those affected by HIV/AIDS. The design features Coventry sky blue and the silhouette of Lady Godiva, embraced by the red ribbon symbolising HIV awareness.
First unveiled at St Mary’s Guildhall in February 2024, it will now tour various Coventry venues, starting with the Herbert, sharing its powerful message across communities, as well as raising awareness around a rise in cases of HIV/AIDS in recent years, particularly among heterosexual people.
Talking about the quilt, Richard Harty said: "We hope that it will be an opportunity to reflect on a time when LGBTQIA+ people who contracted HIV and lost their lives were treated so shamefully leaving an indelible scar and stain on our society.
“Gay men in particular were persecuted for what is now seen as a treatable issue. This must never happen again.”
Harriet Lovelock-Bruce, Event Coordinator at the Herbert, said: "We are honoured to display this significant quilt, which not only remembers those lost to HIV/AIDS but also educates and inspires our community about the advances in treatment and prevention.
“It’s also hugely important that our collections and what we display is fully representative of the people of Coventry and the city’s many diverse communities.”
In conjunction with this display, The Herbert is calling for donations to expand its collection of LGBTQIA+ items. Currently, the collection primarily consists of donations from a gay man reflecting his and his partner’s experiences in Coventry during the 1980s and 1990s. The gallery seeks to broaden this representation and welcomes items that reflect LGBTQIA+ life in Coventry.
Donated items will become part of the museum’s permanent collection, available for display and online viewing. Those interested in contributing or participating in discussions about future collecting policies can contact curators Martin and Ali at herbertcollections@cvlife.co.uk.
The Memorial Quilt is on display at the Herbert until the end of month, before it will go out on tour to mark Coventry Pride 2024. It is hoped venues it will visit will be accessible to all, including the city’s public libraries and Coventry Pride itself, due to take place on 3 August.
For more information about Coventry Pride 2024 visit: https://coventrypride.org.uk/