Page 15 - Faces of AIDS: 102 Portraits
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THE LOST FACES OF AIDS
Photographer Jim Wigler’s Lost Portraits
of the AIDS Generation Still Haunt
Hank Trout
In 1986, as the AIDS epidemic claimed which would bring out the humanity in
life after life and the shame and stigma each person.” Nolan enthusiastically
surrounding the disease spread as supported the project. With Nolan’s
rapidly as the virus itself, San Francisco help, and through his contacts in Gay
photographer Jim Wigler knew he had AA and elsewhere, Jim rounded up
to do something. sixty HIV-positive people who allowed
themselves to be photographed. Jim
“So many people in Gay AA were believes they were among the first
sharing about their experiences people in the country to contract the
with AIDS,” Jim told me, “and public disease; they were certainly among
reaction to the disease was so hostile the first who were willing to be
that I decided to do something to photographed and identified as AIDS
humanize the people coming down patients. Again with Nolan’s help, Jim
with symptoms.” That hostility extended secured the financing to frame all of
even to medical professionals who were the portraits. The result was The Faces
supposed to be helping patients. Jim of AIDS, an exhibition of sixty 16x24-
remembers that many doctors wouldn’t inch close-up portraits of men and
even touch a patient suffering from women with AIDS, which debuted at the
AIDS. He knew he had to act. He had San Mateo County Fair in 1986. “The
to fight back, with the only weapon he reaction to the exhibit,” Jim said, “was
could wield: his camera. perfect. Although one of the pieces
got spit on by one irate woman, most
Because Jim had been a well-known of the photos were revelatory to the
photographer in San Francisco for onlookers.”
years, publishing work in Drummer,
Malebox, and other magazines, and The exhibit traveled to Grace Cathedral
had mounted exhibits in the City several atop Nob Hill in San Francisco,
times, he decided to work his contacts where Canon William Barcus III not
for subjects to photograph. “I talked to only embraced and supported the
my friend, Tom Nolan, who was then exhibit, he also posed for one of the
on the Board of Supervisors in San exhibit’s portraits. Noted San Francisco
Mateo, California. I told him about my columnist Herb Caen wrote about
idea to make portraits of people with the 1986 exhibit, “Jim Wigler, whose
AIDS, big awesome beautiful portraits somber exhibit… closes Sunday
