Aids (Always, Immediate, Death, Sentence)

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on June 27, 2015 at 6:33pm

Curator’s Comments:   

 

This is a commanding graphic piece on Aids.  The subtitled (Always, Immediate, Death, Sentence) doesn’t mince any words, nor does the message behind the figure using a hypodermic needle leave much room for viewer interpretation.  I nonetheless find myself moving back and forth between the stylized figure and the more subtly detailed skulls below.  The figure, rendered anonymous and somewhat universal with his head cast down to the syringe, looks to be more pixelated than the smoother elements in the picture. While they technically have different formal characteristics, the conceptual connections between the text, figure and skulls are readily apparent.  The breakup of the background with toned grey squares for me brings to mind a titled urban wall or sterile clinic, but is also an arguably neutral background for the uncluttered work and message.  I find it interesting that the squares which contain the skulls are visually offset, separating the space between the forms, and echoing the block spacing of AIDS at the top.