There are two intriguing AIDS-related art events currently sparking up the web.
Ultra-Red, the activist sound art group founded in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, has released a full-length album called The Minutes as part of its AIDS Uncanny series. The album features a recording of the Silent/Listen performance at the Art Gallery Of Ontario last summer as part of the XVI International AIDS Conference. The participating electronic musicians — all local — were then asked to contribute original tracks to the album using the sounds of statements made by conference speakers.
The artists include Reena Katz (Pomegranate), Scott Kerr (Kids On TV), Isabelle Noël (who spins at the Macramé parties at Sparrow), Eddie Peel (Death Drive), Sandro Perri (Polmo Polpo), Don’t Rhine (Jack Tactic) and Andrew Zealley (PSBeuys).
You can download the album for free at Publicrec.org.
Other Ultra-Red projects have tackled needle exchanges (Soundtrax), public sex (Second Nature), public housing (Structural Adjustments), resistance to global capital (Value System), labour (Social Factory) and education (School Of Echoes). For more on the group go to Ultrared.org.
Fashion Cares and the AIDS Committee Of Toronto have launched a contest on YouTube. Why ACT Now? asks Canadians to submit testimonials or provocative statements on HIV/AIDS — prevention, the fight against the disease or what the epidemic means to you. Local notables like Jeanne Beker (Fashion Television), Adamo Ruggiero (Degrassi) and George Stroumboulopoulos (The Hour) have already posted messages to get people checkin’ in.
The winner of the contest will receive two gala tickets to Fashion Cares in Toronto; the deadline for submission is Thu, Feb 15. To check out the postings or make a submission, go through the Fashion Cares website (Fashioncares.com) and access the YouTube link. The winner will be announced on Thu, Mar 1.
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