We are at the point in the semester when everything seems to be accelerating uncontrollably. Thanksgiving Break is practically upon us, which means that the last week of classes and, moreover, exams, are just around the corner. It’s easy to feel like, in the blink of an eye, we will have visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads, home for the holidays.
But, even in this whirl of papers, examinations, and travel, the Davidson College Art Galleries have something planned for December 2 – a mere two weeks from now. We are partnering with Visual AIDS, a New York-based non-profit that utilizes art to fight AIDS, to present the 30th Annual Day With(out) Art. Art on Davidson’s campus will be covered in red shrouds, spurring reflection on the creative spirits and artists who have been taken from this world by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. If art can express that which words cannot, perhaps the absence of art can also have such an effect.
New for this year, we will also screen STILL BEGINNING, a 2019 film composed of a series of seven videos responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis. STILL BEGINNING urges us to recognize the ongoing nature of the epidemic and avoid an air of resolution and inaction. It also recognizes and incorporates the cultural history of the disease, a history spanning over three decades. The screening will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 pm on December 2, in the C. Shaw Smith 900 Room.
The Health Education program at Davidson works to promote health and wellness on campus by advocating for healthy sexual decision-making and providing monthly HIV testing.