Anonymous, Alvin Ailey panel of AIDS Memorial quilt, 1987

Narrator: Alvin Ailey panel of AIDS Memorial quilt, which is dated from 1987, is a square mixed-media textile work consisting of eight distinct panels measuring 12 feet square. The panels consist of layers of different fabric and a variety of text ranging from cursive, stencil, handwritten, and other stylized lettering marking dates, names, locations and personal sentiments. This work is one of approximately 50,000 quilt panels that makes up the AIDS memorial quilt. The AIDS memorial quilt is one of the largest community folk art projects in the world, and commemorates the lives of those lost to HIV and AIDS. The quilt panel is displayed in front of red curtains, between two glass vitrines.

The left top corner panel has a background of horizontal beige cream, red stripes, and zig zags. The name W. Lee Davis sits in the center of the panel above a black cylindrical shape, like a table or drum, hand sewn on with yellow blanket stitch, decorated with patterns resembling those of some Indigenous North American traditions. On top of the cylinder there are three stylized animals: an owl, a turtle and a rooster. A feather hangs off the side. Below the cylinder are the handwritten words “we miss you daddy” and the dates 1929 to 1990.

The top center panel is white with blue, yellow and red stencil lettering reading ‘Robert R McGlone October 29th 29 September 26th 84’. An open outline of the Eastern United States is marked with playful symbols: a bowl, two books, a television, a Christmas tree, four outlines of hands with names, a basketball, soccer ball, tennis racket, a football with Ohio written in cursive and a broadway musical ticket. 

The top right panel has a bronze background with a black figure of a dancer whose partial limbs stretch open horizontally. The words ‘for Alvin Ailey and all of our dancers I miss your shadows… Missa’ curve between the dancer and an iridescent light blue shadow. Alvin Ailey passed away from an AIDS-related illness, at the age of fifty-eight on December 1, 1989.

The final panel in the right bottom corner depicts an open window with open sheer pink curtains. The top border is decorated with a horizontal line of bears in different vocational costumes. A single bear in a dancing costume is encircled at the top center over the name Bill DePue in fuchsia. A bear pattern fills the open window meeting an armchair with vibrant pink flowers and green leaves. On the upholstery, a single bear sits in the chair with a red neck scarf.