The politics of photographic aesthetics: critically documenting the HIV epidemic among heroin injectors in Russia and the United States

Abstract

For his birthday I brought Hank a copy of this image of himself taken while he was searching for just the right spot in his camp to hang the American flag (Fig. 1). I offered to buy him a drink but he refused, insisting on treating me to one instead, explaining that he had just been paid for moving furniture that day. We hunched down on our heels, leaning against the red brick wall of the corner liquor store and drank out of brown paper bags*/he a Cisco Berry fortified wine and me a beer. When I handed him the picture he went silent and stared. I was worried he did not like the photograph, or worse, might take offense to it. Finally, he put his hand to his brow, halfcovering his eyes and spoke, ‘Ain’t that a shame! A goddamned Vietnam Vet. Damn, Jeff, look at how skinny I am. I look like Viet Cong. Y’know, when I put myself back together, I’m gonna help the homeless.’ [Jeff’s Fieldnotes, June 1997].