Adrian Chesser photographed friends and family right after revealing he’s HIV+:
When I tested positive for HIV and was diagnosed with AIDS, I had an extreme physical reaction whenever I thought about having to tell my friends and family. Looking at this reaction more closely, I realized that it was the same reaction I had as a kid whenever I had to disclose something uncomfortable to my parents, fearing rejection or even abandonment if larger secrets were revealed. It occurred to me that it might be possible to overcome this paralyzing fear by photographing my friends as I told them about my diagnosis. I invited each friend to come to my studio to have their picture taken, a simple head shot for a new project. They weren’t given any other information. For a backdrop I used the curtains from the living room of the house I grew up in. I put everyone through the same routine, creating a formal process that proved to be transformative. At the beginning of each shoot I would start by saying, “I have something to tell you”.
All of us who have this virus went through something similar. Twenty-one years ago, of course, the reactions were more extreme. I saw some faces look at me as if I were already dead. The shift in their expressions carried with them all the baggage of stigma, horror, and, worst of all, pity. My mum’s face barely changed – she simply refused to believe it, and went on for a while as if nothing had happened. My dad’s face fell like a sudden mini-avalanche. Every small point of animation collapsed. It registered in a second all the fear and terror and sadness I had been experiencing – and oddly made me begin to resist all three. If only to help my family cope.
More photos from the series here.
The Dish 