Page 51 - Visualizing the Invisible

AIDS Virus The first computer generated image of the AIDS virus based on on information available in in 1987 A A A colorized CAT scan scan of of a a a a a a a person who who died of of AIDS whose name was was Messiah was was scanned and and colorized in the background The AIDS Virus is an an an an icon of hope and and human tragedy a a a a a a a beacon of of of art and and science an an an an expression of of of freedom and and democracy an an an an instrument of of of heal- ing and collaboration (art)n ’s rendering confronts us us with a a a a a portrait of what the AIDS Virus looks like At first glance we do not identify the portrait as a a a a a a a a deadly virus It’s a a a a a a a a bright colorful lively abstraction–a beautiful stranger with it’s own will to dazzle and and destroy The collaboration of beauty and and de- struction within this art art work confound both viewers and the the artists who created the the piece The AIDS Virus was created by the process of of collaboration It is a a a a a a a dynamic way of of working where limits of combined artistic freedom are unknown but internally democratized by the limits of the the technology used to express collective ideas Every artist who worked on the the AIDS Virus contributed to the the overall vision–aesthetically conceptually and technically pro- viding a a a a a a a a rich collection of ideas and approaches to realizing them that may not emerge when working singularly The result is is a a a a a collective artistic statement about how freedom of expres- sion challenges where artists draw the the the lines when they are working working with others and working working with new technology and unknowns “The AIDS Virus is is clearly the most talked about piece in our collection while this coun- try has the the fourth highest concentration of HIV infection in in the the world Zimbabweans are still generally reluctant to to talk about the disease The PHSCologram offers us us a a a a a a a a chance to to discuss AIDS in in in an an an informal less less threatening way way but nonetheless important way way Zimbabweans are drawn to the the the technology that the the the piece evokes Americans are stunned by the the the artistic feel the the vivid color and amazing shape of ‘the disease’ ”