San Francisco, CA
United States
1100 California Street, main floor lobby of the north tower Interfaith AIDS Memorial Chapel at Grace Cathedral since 1 December 1995
without names
The Interfaith AIDS Memorial Chapel occupies the main floor lobby of the Singing Tower, Grace Cathedral's north tower. The tower lobby was set aside in 1995, and the completed Chapel was dedicated in 2000.
The Chapel is intended not only as a memorial to the 19,400 San Franciscans and the many others who have died of AIDS, and to remember those living with the disease, but also to honor the many living caregivers and volunteers who have fought, and are fighting, HIV/AIDS despite decades of prejudice, resistance and apathy.
A wider intent can be seen in the name "Interfaith" and the symbols of world religions - Christianity, Islam, Taoism, indigenous faiths, Shinto, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Jainism, and all other faiths - on the tower piers flanking the altar. HIV/AIDS is no respecter of religion, race or sexuality. The AIDS Chapel is a statement that compassion must be at the heart of committed response to the disease.
The focus of the Chapel is a bronze and white-gold triptych altarpiece entitled "The Life of Christ", the last work of Keith Haring completed just weeks before his own death from AIDS.
Hanging at the rear of the chapel is a block of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, with eight names, one of now over 5800 quilt sections of the NAMES Project, founded in San Francisco in 1987.
Other chapel furnishings of interest include dark steel entry pillars and candlestands designed by John Wheatman, and forged by Roger Yearout. A Book of Remembrance, handcrafted by Joanna Sonnichsen, is on display to one side. A hand-printed floral linen dossal by Robin Dintiman hangs behind the Haring altarpiece, which stands on a table designed by Bert Hutt. The free-standing white oak altar was designed by John G. Sheridan.

Grace Cathedral