The growing resurgence in ACT UP, this summer's International AIDS conference, and the growing conversation around HIV Criminalization made 2012 a watershed year for HIV re-emerging in the American public’s consciousness. Over a few blog posts Visual AIDS will look back at pivotal moments of AIDS in culture 2012. Email us what you think at info@visualaids.org.

AIDS,the Writing is on the Wall

2012 was a big year for AIDS in words. When asked what they remembered most about AIDS in Culture 2012 many people remembered what they read:

• The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination by Sarah Schulman made a huge impact on artist and curator Quito Ziegler who was part of a book club to discuss it.

• Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz by Cynthia Carr was important for writer and editor Walter Armstrong.

• For Sur Rodney Sur, reading and “learning about criminalization related to HIV/AIDS disclosure was a big one for me. It makes no sense.“

• The new blog Positive Frontiers has been home to exciting and current conversation about HIV now.

• Artist Ethan Shoshan “loved James Wentzy presents Writers on AIDS” at The Bureau of General Services, Queer Division bookstore where Wentzy screened rare footage from 1993 of writers reading their work about HIV for Day With(out) Art / World AIDS Day.

• Amos Mac’s essay, “My Family Tree” in the Love,Christopher Street collection was a beloved favorite around Visual AIDS…

• …As was Jordan Arseneault’s Silence = Sex blog post and poster,
  

• ...and Mary Fisher's op-ed in the NY Times: Defined by Words,
  

• …and this AIDS IS blog post from a guest writer,
  

• ...and almost anything our friend Kenyon Farrow puts down on paper.
  

What were some of your AIDS in Culture 2012 highlights?