In the heart of Fitzrovia, a tree that never grew will soon take root as London’s newest AIDS memorial. Anya Gallaccio’s vision transforms absence into presence: a sculpture shaped like a fallen tree, its rings removed and scattered, quietly marking the spaces left by lives lost to HIV/AIDS. Gallaccio’s choice of organic materials isn’t just aesthetic—it’s a nod to the way memory and grief evolve, shifting with time and weather. The memorial’s form echoes the plane trees lining London’s streets, chosen for their resilience against city pollution, drawing a subtle parallel to the endurance of those living with HIV/AIDS. Commissioned by AIDS Memory UK and backed by the city, this public artwork aims to be more than a monument. It’s designed as a gathering place, a living heart for community stories and remembrance. In a city of survivors, even a felled tree can stand tall in the collective memory. #AIDSMemorial #LondonArt #PublicMemory #Culture