Visual AIDS Vanguard Award (VAVA) honoring Barton Lidice Benes

The first Visual AIDS Vanguard Award is present to artist Barton Lidice Benes.

Barton transforms fragments of our throwaway culture into art that sometimes addressed taboo subjects. He shined a light on what many would like to keep in the dark - including AIDS, sex, and death. Through his work he has demystified taboos (and started international controversies while at it!). Though he reveals the most difficult of our injustices and politics, he always does so with humanity and humor.

The VAVA was presented to Barton Benes by Rosie Perez, with a special performance by John Kelly and Zecca Esquibel, and music by DJ Stephen Richards.