NEW YORK — Supporters of the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle celebrated the monument’s imminent completion at a reception last evening hosted by the Memorial’s Board of Directors and Barneys New York. The Memorial, located at the intersection of West 12th Street and Greenwich Avenue in the West Village, is the first significant public space dedicated to the AIDS epidemic in New York City. The public dedication for the Memorial will take place on World AIDS Day (December 1), 2016, co-hosted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and a coalition of leading AIDS advocacy organizations.
More than 300 celebrities, government officials, and VIPs attended last night’s reception at Barneys New York, including world-renowned visual artist Jenny Holzer, who designed the Memorial’s granite pavers engraved with selections from Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself.
“We are grateful to the many supporters and donors who helped to make the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle a reality,” said Keith Fox, President of the Memorial’s Board of Directors. “Through their generosity, we have raised more than $6 million over five years for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Memorial, as well as educational programs. We thank Barneys New York for hosting such a wonderful evening to help us express our thanks.”
“Barneys New York is proud to welcome this new downtown landmark. Its presence is a moving reminder of the 100,000+ New Yorkers who have died from AIDS and the broad community that has been affected by this loss and struggle. We were honored to celebrate its many supporters at last night’s memorable reception,” said Mark Lee, CEO.
Christopher Tepper and Paul Kelterborn, two urban planners who have never known a world without AIDS, launched a grassroots campaign to create the Memorial in 2011. Nearly 500 architects worldwide submitted designs for the Memorial during an ideas competition held in late 2011, sponsored by Architectural Record and Architizer and displayed at the AIA’s Center for Architecture. The jury, chaired by Michael Arad, designer of the National September 11th Memorial, selected a winning design by Brooklyn-based architectural firm Studio ai.
The reception also featured the unveiling of a limited edition artwork honoring the Memorial by artist Kobi Benezri, Remember, Reflect, Renew. The AIDS Memorial organization and Artspace are offering a limited number for purchase at http://www.artspace.com/kobi-benezri. Proceeds will benefit the Memorial’s educational programs.
For more information or to support the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle, visit http://nycaidsmemorial.org.
