Active Grieving The Aesthetic Activism of ACT UP Montréal

In the face of government inaction during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the early 1990s, ACT UP Montréal (short for AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) took to the streets with a unique approach to activism blending radical queer politics, stark graphics, performance, and a set of distinctly Québécois references. From their first public manifestation in 1990 until the group’s dissolution in 1993, the members of ACT UP Montréal not only drew attention to the mishandling of the pandemic via brilliantly executed protest actions; they also led the charge in the distribution of safer sex materials that didn’t shy away from the realities of Quebecers’ sex lives. Their primary goals were educational and legislative: They demanded easy access to relevant sexual health information along with full drug coverage and proper medical care for people living with the virus. In just three short years, they made a palpable impact on street activism and medical law in Québec.

This exhibition tells their story, from the milieu in which they were formed to their lasting legacy in Montréal, compiled through extensive interviews with surviving members, photographs taken by ACT UP Montréal’s official photographer, René LeBoeuf, and artifacts drawn from the Archives gaies du Québec.

* Abréviation de AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power.

Archives gaies du Québec

Founded in 1983, the Archives gaies du Québec have a mandate to acquire, conserve, and preserve any handwritten, printed, visual, or audio material that attests to the history of LGBTQ+ communities in Québec.

By conserving archival fonds and collections, organizing public events, and welcoming researchers and visitors to its reading room, the Archives gaies du Québec perform an essential role as guardians of LGBTQ+ history, which they promote both locally and abroad.