Fray, written by Julia Bryan-Wilson, is more than research or nonfiction text. It tells the story about a struggling time for the victims and families of the AIDS epidemic mainly through the AIDS Quilt. The text itself can be dense at times but using marginalia helps guide the reading and make connections that may have been previously overlooked. From the building of the Quilt to the commercialization of it, the Fray details quite a bit. At first, I wasn’t very interested in reading Bryan-Wilson’s work because of a family member’s struggle with AIDS. It’s a disease that many don’t talk about even though it is still prevalent in our society. After starting the text, however, I was engulfed in what I would soon realize was a movement that arose not just for a few years, but for decades. The Quilt represented something that wasn’t linear in nature. It was a weaving and snaking path through different emotions and forms of expression.
Some Quilt squares were intricate while others were simply names painted on fabric. Regardless of the detail or simplicity, each square represented someone who was lost or soon to be a victim of AIDS. Bryan-Wilson states, “The early years of publicity about the Quilt underscored how the act of crafting itself might transform or alleviate the pain”. The pain itself could be expressed through many different emotions such as anger, sadness, or through lack of emotion altogether. Once the Quilt started to make headway, arguments arose. Bryan-Wilson mentions that some of the longest lasting arguments weren’t from people against the Quilt but rather from HIV/AIDS activists/organizers. Their arguments were focused on the commercialization of the Quilt in ways of “books, hats, buttons and pins” all the way to ornaments for Christmas trees. These kinds of products took away from the impact the Quilt was meant to have for those who had passed.
With so much content in the Fray writing, it’s nearly impossible to reflect on everything it has to offer. What some may take away from it, others may not. It is important to keep in mind, however, that all the content is unique and connected which can make understanding the AIDS Quilt and the parts that played a role in it easier to absorb. If a person can look past the commercialization of the Quilt and at the things that really made it special, then the Fray did its job.
Just like the AIDS Quilt had a purpose, so did the quilt our class made. Although the purposes are completely different, the idea of putting meaning into our quilt squares is the same. For my square, I used an old jersey and a thread/rope style material made from an old shirt. I created the words “No More Lies” and “Be The Change” by weaving the thread through the holes that are on the jersey. The words “No More Lies” was a key piece that many may not understand. It’s not just about the lies that the fashion industry can spew to the public, but it is also about the information that companies choose to leave out. Although they are not technically lying when facts aren’t represented, there is a sense of mistrust which lying can do. Aside from the lies in the fashion industry, it also is meant to be the lies that we tell ourselves about things we “need”. We need to stop lying to ourselves so we can “Be The Change” that the world needs.
The manifesto was a perfect addition to our classes quilt. It gave us a way to express who we are, what we were attempting to do, and why we were doing it. Being an individual who worked primarily on the manifesto portion of this project rather than on the sewing and organizing of the quilt itself, I learned a great deal about my individual classmates and their progress in the future. Hearing students say that we are dreamers, diverse, and change makers really opened my eyes to things I never personally thought about. Although we were all had a consensus on what we were making the quilt for, why we were doing it was also interesting to hear. For myself, I was doing it for me and what I believed we needed, but for others it was about doing it for the planet and for future generations. Altogether the project was an enjoyable experience that I was glad to take part in.
(I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE THAT THE PICTURE I TOOK ACTUALLY SAVED BECAUSE I CAN’T FIND IT ON MY PHONE.SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE IT HAS CAUSED.)
Aaron's ART 3110 