Opening Reception September 28, 4-7 p.m. @ Advocate and Gochis
Exhibition Dates: On View September 28- October 31
Curatorial tour with Anuradha Vikram from 5-6 pm
The Sky is Always Falling: HIV/AIDS Activists Unleashing Power in Los Angeles Then and Now highlights five key ACT UP/LA political actions from 1987-1993 that brought visibility to the HIV/AIDS crisis through a series of demonstrations, protests, sit-ins, and rallies. Presented through artwork and archival ephemera, the exhibition draws parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the Trump administration’s attacks on healthcare and on LGBTQ+ Americans.
The exhibition features never-before-seen documents and photographs from ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, alongside original works by artists such as Kang Seung Lee, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario, Reza Abdoh, and Ron Athey that showcase radical moments of queer resistance, and the resilience of LGBTQ+ activists and artists in Los Angeles during the HIV/AIDS crisis who, in the face of death and discrimination, found solidarity. The Sky is Always Falling is curated by LA-based writer and UCLA Arts professor, Anuradha Vikram.
The opening reception of the exhibition will take place on Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. at the LA LGBT Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries. The event will encompass a brief tour and remarks from the curator as well as an intimate performance titled ‘Threnody’ with former ACT UP LA member and interdisciplinary artist Marcus Kuiland-Nazario. The performance will encourage audience members living through grief and loss to share their experiences, traditions, or culture. Sign-ups will be taken at the event.
The Sky is Always Falling: HIV/AIDS Activists Unleashing Power in Los Angeles Then and Now is organized by One Institute and co-presented with the Los Angeles LGBT Center as part of the 2025 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute. The exhibition is curated by Anuradha Vikram.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center is a safe and welcoming place where the LGBTQ+ community finds help, hope, and support when it is needed the most.
Founded in 1952, One Institute is the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the country and the proud presenters of Circa: Queer Histories Festival. It's mission is to elevate queer and trans history and embrace emerging stories through collaborative education, arts, and cultural programs.
Each year, One Institute produces one-of-a-kind exhibitions and public programs connecting LGBTQ+ history and contemporary culture to effect social change. Through unique K-12 teacher trainings, lesson plans, and youth mentorship programs, One empowers the next generation of teachers and students bringing queer history into classrooms and communities. As the independent community partner of ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, One Institute helps promote the largest collection of LGBTQ+ materials in the world.