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Remembering NAMES ; Poster Reproduction of Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton Drawing
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Estimated Date Made, 1988-1989, Date that poster was given to Nancy Keene on her 60th birthday.
Date on Object, June 6, 1988, Date that original drawing was created - located on bottom right corner of reproduction.
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Framed poster reproduction of Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton's drawing, Remembering NAMES, (June 6, 1988, crayon and colored pencil, 22" x 30”). As a 60th birthday gift, members of Denver's gay community bought this piece for Nancy Keene (1928-2018) and signed the back with personal notes. Nancy Keene was the inaugural president of PFLAG Denver (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) for 13 years and co-founder of Denver's AIDS Family Support Group. (For more information on Nancy Keene, see Provenance section below and Attached Files, "A Tribute to the Life of Nancy Keene")
Layton completed the original drawing at age 79 as a way of raising consciousness around the AIDS epidemic. Her idea for the drawing came from The NAMES Project, the gigantic quilt commemorating the lives of people who died from AIDS. The quilt can be seen behind the self portrait of Layton, in the shape of a globe. creates a globe. Layton captures herself embroidering a block for the AIDS memorial quilt that includes outlines of two hands and a line from the poem Bophal, by David Ray (1987). The other blocks are copies of actual panels from the quilt, shown here covering the globe. The entire Bophal poem is printed underneath the reproduced drawing.
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Donated to History Colorado by Mark S. Keene.
Nancy Umbenhaur Keene (1928-2018), the donor's mother, was born in Chicago and moved to Denver in 1964. Keene was the inaugural president of PFLAG Denver (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). The majority of that time was at the height of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s. Nancy Keene played an active part in soothing the broken hearts of people affected by the epidemic. Keene also co-founded Denver's AIDS Family Support Group, as well as played a role in the passage of Denver's Anti-discrimination Ordinance and efforts to overturn Colorado Amendment 2. She was awarded many honors in her retirement for her role in the community, including Wellington Webb naming February 3, 1993 as Nancy Keene Day in Denver. (For more information, see Attached Files, "A Tribute to the Life of Nancy Keene")
The PFLAG Denver chapter was founded in February 1980. PFLAG Denver is one of over 500 affiliates of PFLAG National.
From PFLAG Denver website (2019): "Our mission is to build on a foundation of loving families united with LGBTQ+ people and allies who support one another, and to educate ourselves and our communities to speak up as advocates until all hearts and minds respect, value and affirm LGBTQ+ people...PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.",
Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton:
Layton began creating art at the age of 68. Layton struggled with depression throughout her life and turned to art to help her mental health. The subject of her "blind" contour drawings (creating an outline of subject without looking at drawing surface) concentrated on contemporary social issues, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, aging and mental health.
Remembering NAMES was included in her one-person exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. in 1992.
A xerox copy of article from Parade Magazine, May 28, 1989 about Layton that was taped to back of framed poster is included in accession folder. (Article was removed previous to donation to History Colorado)
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Printed, front, center, on proper left shoulder: THE / NAME / PROJECT
Printed, front, proper left half of orange quilt: THIRD WORLD / OR ONE BEYOND, THEY'RE ALL OUT CHILDREN NOW / -DAVID RAY / IN HIS POEM BHOPAL / © 1987
Printed, artist's signature, front, bottom right corner of image: Grandma Layton / June 6, 1988
Printed, front, below image: Remembering NAMES
Please see object for individual quilt square details.
Printed, front, below image: I've often wondered how it is at items / good people do what are as bad as crimes. / -Clough
Printed, front, bottom center: Eyes open glazed like isinglass, the fire / behind gone out, this child of Bhopal lies / in his shadows grave of cinders - no time / for weeping as when we lost our son Sam / and stood, hands joined, to wish him well in some / life beyond. In fact, he might have gone on / to Bhopal just in time to die again / at just three months, not likely, but who knows? / One thing that's certain though is this: Third world / or one beyond, they're all our children now, / though borne by millions in brown arms and black, / and not much mourned by those who think their own / are wonder, others somehow less. And thus / I'll say Goodbye to this son too, and yours. / - Bhopal / by David Ray, 1987
Individual signatures and personalized notes dedicated to Nancy Keene on back. Please see object for details.
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