AHF Paints Over Community AIDS Memorial Mural, Promises Replacement
Dallas — The AIDS Healthcare Foundation painted over a community AIDS memorial mural on Cedar Springs Road this week, sparking criticism from local residents and LGBTQ+ advocates who say the organization failed to consult the community before removing the artwork.
The mural, located on the south side of the building at 4014 Cedar Springs Road, was painted over with dark gray primer on Tuesday. The building formerly housed Resource Center's Nelson-Tebedo Health Center and is now occupied by AHF.
According to Imara Canady, national communications director for AHF, the organization "tried numerous times to get in touch with the original artist who created the mural...to talk about restoring the artwork which had begun to deteriorate." When those efforts failed, Canady said AHF contacted another local artist to design a new mural "celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and honoring the community's ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS."
The gray paint was "the first step in preparing for the new mural," Canady told Dallas Voice Wednesday morning. AHF promised to release an official statement including the name of the chosen local artist, but that statement had not been provided as of press time.
The Original Mural
The artwork, known as the Dallas Red Foundation HIV/AIDS Commemorative Mural, was created in 2018 as a joint project between the Dallas Red Foundation's REDucate Committee and the community art group Arttitude. Muralist Lee Madrid designed the piece after consulting with community leaders and employees of the Nelson-Tebedo Clinic.
John Anderson, secretary of Dallas Red Foundation and a member of the REDucation Committee, described the mural's symbolism in a January 2019 Dallas Voice column. The artwork featured "four diverse hands coming together to create red heart shapes" intended as photo opportunities for visitors. "References to the decline in deaths over time and the ever-increasing number of individuals living with HIV [were] incorporated between multicolored, geometric shapes" painted in rainbow colors common in LGBTQ+ art, Anderson wrote.
A significant portion depicted "silhouettes looking over sections of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, created as a memorial celebrating the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes," according to Anderson's description.
Community Response
The removal prompted immediate criticism on social media. Lee Daugherty posted to the Friends of Oak Lawn Facebook page: "Today a new tenant on Cedar Springs at the old Nelson-Tebedo [clinic] took it on themselves to paint over a 2018 mural of the AIDS quilt, a solemn remembrance and a dedication that we take care of each other".
Anderson, who confirmed Tuesday night that AHF was the new tenant, expressed frustration on his Facebook page: "A LOT of work was put into this by a few different local organizations. Community art is not something you can just erase. Someone has some explaining to do".
Arttitude Issues Statement
On Friday, Arttitude released a statement expressing disappointment over the mural's removal while indicating willingness to work with AHF moving forward.
Background on the Building
Resource Center, which operates LGBTQ+ health services in Dallas, moved its Nelson-Tebedo clinic services to a new location at 2603 Inwood Road earlier this year, according to the organization's website. The Cedar Springs building became available for new tenants as a result of the relocation.
Dallas Voice reported that community members were invited to participate in painting the original mural during its creation in 2018, with artist Lee Madrid encouraging residents to "leave your mark on the community".
Next Steps
AHF has not responded to requests for additional comment about the timeline of their occupancy or details about the replacement mural since their initial statement Wednesday.
Madrid, the original muralist, could not be reached for comment about AHF's claimed attempts to contact him.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Dallas's LGBTQ+ community about preserving cultural landmarks as the area continues to evolve. Cedar Springs Road serves as the heart of the city's LGBTQ+ district, where community art has historically been limited.
This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.