For the squeamish among us, seeing oneself reflected in a seven-foot-tall monolith filled with blood can be quite off-putting. New York-based artist and filmmaker Jordan Eagles pressures viewers to confront their discomfort with his new installation at the American University Museum. “Blood Mirror” responds to the Food and Drug Administration’s policy that prevents gay and bisexual men from donating blood, a decision that grew out of the AIDS crisis. Eagles worked with nine men—among them an openly gay priest, an Army captain who was dismissed under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” but was later reinstated, a gay man whose straight twin brother is eligible to donate, and the CEO of GMHC, one of the nation’s first AIDS service organizations—and asked them to donate blood for this project, since they are limited from donating to save lives. Accompanying the sculpture is Leo Herrera’s film chronicling the project’s development and creation, allowing both the artist and the participants to raise their voices, in addition to their bodies, in protest. The exhibition is on view Tuesdays through Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., to Oct. 18, at the American University Museum, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Free. (202) 885-1300. american.edu/museum.