Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
San Francisco Chronicle - The Voice of the West, 901 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94119 - 4 Mar 1996, p.A15
David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor
Called "Remembrance," the project is part of an interactive exhibition at the Exploratorium that opens tomorrow. It addresses every aspect of the epidemic, from the scientific to the human.
In "Remembrance," Wendy Clark, a psychologist and artist, has created a collection of brief videotapes recording people's feelings about love and the impact of AIDS. It poses the question, "How has AIDS Affected Your Life?"
In a private booth, visitors to the science museum in the Marina will be able to answer that question on videotape, and those tapes will become a permanent part of "Remembrance."
The entire Exploratorium exhibition, titled "What About AIDS?" has been prepared in collaboration with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Medical Association.
Because the disease in America continues to strike young people at an increasing pace, the exhibition is aimed at family audiences and includes information panels on the causes, risks and most effective methods for preventing the disease, together with works of art, music and live performances.
Federal statistics show that of the more than 500,000 AIDS cases reported since the epidemic began in 1981, at least 100,000 have occurred among people under the age of 30.
Through a series of interactive videos at the Exploratorium, teenagers can learn about the biology of the AIDS virus, how it reproduces to continue infection, and how the virus damages the human immune system and leaves the body susceptible to a wide range of often deadly infections.
In another section of the exhibition directed at teenagers, actor Edward James Olmos narrates a bilingual video disc dealing candidly with prevention, while other interactive computer stations present the statistics of AIDS risk as they are affected by the many risky types of behavior.
The biology of the AIDS virus, its routes of transmission, the current status of drug development, and the future prospects for conquering the disease are all explained and illustrated in clear terms for lay audiences. The exhibition will continue until June 2.
The Exploratorium is located inside the Palace of Fine Arts at 3601 Lyon Street in the Marina. Detailed information on the AIDS exhibition, including the schedule of performances and admission prices, is available by telephone at (415) 353-0423.
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