Collection P177 - AIDS activism and human sexuality collection

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

AIDS activism and human sexuality collection

General material designation

    Parallel title

    AIDS collection

    Other title information

    Title statements of responsibility

    Title notes

    • Source of title proper: Title based on the documents in the fonds.

    Level of description

    Collection

    Repository

    Reference code

    CA OSLER P177

    Edition area

    Edition statement

    Edition statement of responsibility

    Class of material specific details area

    Statement of scale (cartographic)

    Statement of projection (cartographic)

    Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

    Statement of scale (architectural)

    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

    Dates of creation area

    Date(s)

    • 1981-2025 (Creation)
      Creator
      Schweitzer, John A., 1952-

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    3,7 cm of textual records. – 7 posters.

    Publisher's series area

    Title proper of publisher's series

    Parallel titles of publisher's series

    Other title information of publisher's series

    Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

    Numbering within publisher's series

    Note on publisher's series

    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    (1952-)

    Biographical history

    John A. Schweitzer is known as a Canadian artist and art collector, as well as an early leader in AIDS activism, holding the first AIDS benefit auction in Canada, Art against AIDS, in 1986. In 1990 he chaired An AIDS Benefit for Actors in Montréal and in 1994 he founded The John A. Schweitzer Foundation, a private trust in support of visual artists with AIDS. He often spoke out on the subject in interviews, at conferences, and in other public forums. Additionally, he collaborated with and exhibited works by Robert Mapplethorpe, a well-known contemporary visual artist who suffered from the disease.

    Custodial history

    First accrual donated by John A. Schweitzer and others to the Osler Library, June 2010.
    Second accrual donated by John A. Schweitzer to the Osler Library, 2025.

    Scope and content

    The collection consists of of AIDS activism materials, with an emphasis on its manifestation in Canada's visual art world, through the collections of John A. Schweitzer and others. Several of the documents have been signed by either John A. Schweitzer or Robert Mapplethorpe. The materials in the collection include posters, press releases, conference programs, exhibition catalogues, exhibition invitations, exhibition ephemera, programs, brochures, tear-sheets, auction catalogues, and reviews. It also contains a second accrual of ephemeral materials collected by John Schweizer on human sexuality and AIDS activism, including many clippings.

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Arrangement

    Language of material

    • English

    • French

    Script of material

      Language and script note

      The documents are in English and French.

      Location of originals

      Availability of other formats

      Restrictions on access

      Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

      Items can be requested for consultation online via the Library Catalogue or by email at osler.library@mcgill.ca. Advance notice is recommended.

      Finding aids

      Associated materials

      Related materials

      Accruals

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Osler Database ID

      4695

      Osler Fonds ID

      177

      Standard number

      Standard number

      Access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Control area

      Description record identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules or conventions

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      Full description of second accrual is forthcoming.

      Language of description

        Script of description

          Sources

          Accession area