Dr Andrew Burrell To Curate HIV/AIDS Memorial At LGBTQ Museum Qtopia Sydney
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Researcher and educator Dr Andrew Burrell will curate the HIV/AIDS Memorial at LGBTQ Museum Qtopia Sydney.
Burrell is the Director of Visual Communication at the University of Technology Sydney.
‘Truly Honoured’
In a statement, Burrell said, “I was truly honoured to work closely with Qtopia Sydney to create the permanent HIV/AIDS Memorial.”
The five-metre-high memorial is one of 18 inaugural exhibitions at the recently opened Qtopia Sydney.
Located in the foyer of 301 Forbes Street, its design is meant to create a space of contemplation.
‘An Invitation To The Community’
The memorial incorporates obituaries from Star Observer archives, as well as personal stories from the community.
Burrell explained, “This archive of images and texts is mixed live to create an ever-changing visualisation to remember and celebrate those we have lost.”
He continued, “With the support of community LGBTQIA+ newspaper, the Sydney Star Observer, the names of family and friends whose deaths were announced in its classifieds all those years ago, have been uplifted – now forever recalled.
“The memorial is an invitation to the community to provide images and stories of those they have loved and lost, and their own experiences through the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The memorial is a living archive and will come alive through community input as it evolves.”
Every year on December 1, World AIDS Day, the names on the memorial wall will be updated.
Largest Home Of Queer History And Culture In The World
Qtopia Sydney is the largest home of Queer history and culture in the world.
The Qtopia Sydney Campus includes old Darlinghurst Police Station (301 Forbes Street), The Bandstand in Green Park, and The Substation and Toilet Block in Taylor Square.
The site of the old Darlinghurst Police Station has an important place in the city’s Queer history. The police station was once associated with the harassment and persecution of Sydney’s LGBTQI community, including 78ers.
Qtopia Sydney is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30am until 4:30pm.
Star Observer digital archives are available to subscribers, who can browse every edition of the magazine from the very first issue published in July 1979.
