Local Vancouver artist and 2SLGBTQ+ advocate Joe Average died on Christmas Eve at the age of 67.
He passed away “peacefully” in his sleep, his siblings shared in a post to social media.
Speaking with CBC News, his sister Karin Carson described Average as “the best big brother,” and said she is very proud of him.
“His legacy will live on,” she said. “He’s touched many people in this world.”
Carson said her brother’s goal was to change people’s views on HIV/AIDS, and show the world you can live with the disease. He wanted his art to give people hope, Carson said.
Among his many honours, Average was named to the Order of Canada in 2024. (McLaren Housing Society of B.C.)
Average was told he was HIV-positive when he was 27 years old, a diagnosis that pushed him to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.
Born in Victoria but later a Vancouver local, he became well-known for his colourful artwork and his advocacy for HIV/AIDS awareness and 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
His artwork has made its way onto a Canadian stamp and on a loonie designed for the Royal Canadian Mint, and has been featured in numerous banners and murals across Vancouver.
Average also frequently donated his artwork to charitable causes.
He was appointed to the Order of B.C. in 2021 and the Order of Canada last summer.
Michael Harding, a longtime friend of the artist, said he fondly remembers accompanying Average to Ottawa for the ceremony in June.
“When the Governor General’s office called him to say he was getting the [order], he called me straight away and he said, ‘Look, you were there at the beginning, so do you want to come?'”
WATCH | Joe Average was appointed to the Order of Canada this year:
Harding, who first met Average in the early 1980s as a curator in Victoria, described him as a singular talent whose work deepened in resonance after his diagnosis.
“You can see that in his art and some of the things that he’s done, just the reflection and the right sense of humour that comes from having a difficult time,” Harding said.
“You don’t realize how important a person is until they are gone.”
Average’s official website opens with the words “art heals,” a sentiment Harding said defined his friend’s life.
“He had AIDS for 40 years and he maintained his healthy attitude by being creative,” he said. “Creativity is what kept him alive, and the love of the community.”
‘Anything but average’
Average worked with and raised thousands of dollars for the McLaren Housing Society of B.C. during his lifetime, an organization that provides housing support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
“Joe was anything but average,” the society’s executive director, Ilm Kassan, said.
“He was truly remarkable.”
“He wanted to create visibility and remind everyone that there’s still a lot of work to do, that we still have a lot of people living with this chronic illness.”
Kassan said despite all the work Average had done for the organization, in their last conversation over the summer he had indicated he still wanted to do more.
Artist Joe Average is pictured in 2019 volunteering for A Loving Spoonful. He said he benefitted from the charity’s services for three years when his health was poor. (Lien Yeung/CBC)
Average was also deeply involved with A Loving Spoonful, a charity that provides free meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Metro Vancouver.
He was one of the people who relied on the non-profit when his health was poor, before he began volunteering for it, said Lisa Martella, the organization’s executive director.
“He always supported our fundraising initiatives. He would also turn up at our events and he sometimes even signed an exclusive auction item, which, of course, fetched thousands of dollars [for the organization],” she said.
She added that Average’s compassion and dedication made him an integral part of the community he championed through his art and advocacy.
“Joe is iconic,” she said.
In a post to social media, Carson said her brother passed away Tuesday afternoon at home.