Palm Springs hated his AIDS memorial design. How this artist’s do-over turned debacle into redemption

Phillip K. Smith III, photographed in his Palm Desert studio, faced withering criticism over his original AIDS memorial design, which conspiracy theorists said made a mockery of tragedy. “That was probably the hardest thing to handle.” The original design, made public in 2021, had sailed through the Public Arts Commission and the Palm Springs City Council, and some 400 donors had raised more than half of the memorial’s $600,000 budget. I love being in difficult rooms because I love humanity and all the realities of emotions and conversation.” Smith, task force founder Dan Spencer and other task force members — all volunteers — found themselves in a difficult room indeed when, a few months later, they met with Lafleur and two other Facebook group members: Danny Kopelson and Oregon AIDS Memorial co-founder Ron Withrow. You find a way,” says Phillip K. Smith III, photographed in front of his artwork “Twelve 90’s” in his Palm Desert studio.