A Lost Generation

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

A Lost Generation

Newsweek (01/18/93) Vol. 121, No. 3, P. 16 (Ansen, David et al.)

The death of dancer Rudolf Nureyev is one more addition to the long list of artists who have died of AIDS. Although it was never publicly disclosed, for years rumors circulated that Nureyev was dying of AIDS. In every aspect of culture--dance, theater, literature, music, design, fashion, art, television, movies--AIDS continues to devastate. While all lives are irreplaceable, the death of an artist leaves a void that exudes past the circle of loved ones. A single death creates a cultural chain reaction. Gordon Davidson, artistic director of the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, which recently produced Tony Kushner's epic theatrical response to AIDS, "Angels in America," said, "The problem, aside form the horror of the deaths, is that the system by which we encounter art is a system of passing things down, and when you break the circuit the way it is being broken by AIDS, the damage my be irreparable." The average age of death from AIDS in the United States is 35, according to one study. But most of the work that hangs in the Museum of Modern Art is by artists older than 35, which indicates a great loss of artistic talent. The epidemic, of course, has not just affected the world of art, but it is more prevalent and more visible there and has an impact on everyone the culture touches. Also, another reason why the world of art has become the center of the epidemic is that it has been more willing to address the subject, to use its visibility in order to raise awareness. Several artists are afraid that the media gives a convoluted view of AIDS, which allows the public to believe because one is not gay or artsy then one is immune from AIDS.

930119
AD930107

Copyright © 1993 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1993. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 1993. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .