THE PORTRAIT GALLERY an interactive installation by Jean Carlomusto & Jane Rosett

THE PORTRAIT GALLERY is one of the most popular installations within AIDS:A LIVING ARCHIVE™, an interactive multi-media installation that allows visitors to explore the evolution of a health crisis that forever changed medical research and public policy towards those with communicable disease.

THE PORTRAIT GALLERY utilizes the capacity of interactive physical computing to expand the ubiquitous multicultural tradition of lighting a candle as a memorial. When a visitor selects a candle, it burns brighter as all the others go dim. A brief video portrait is played on the altar screen featuring the person with HIV/AIDS pictured on the candle. When the portrait is over, the other candles return to their normal light levels and the image of the flickering candle returns to the altar screen.

AIDS:A LIVING ARCHIVE™ premiered at the Museum of the City of New York in 2001 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic.

THE PORTRAIT GALLERY is part of a traveling installation. If you would like more information about AIDS:A LIVING ARCHIVE™ and THE PORTRAIT GALLERY you can contact Jean Carlomusto at: jeancarlomusto@verizon.net