2018

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) stigma is the main obstacle for fighting against spread of HIV. Stigma is the reason why people are afraid to be tested regularly, get more information and talk about it.

There are more than 1 million people in Russia who have HIV infection. According to Russian Public Opinion Research Center vast of Russians consider that the problem of spreading HIV and AIDS is very important. However, most of them don’t even know the difference between two of them. People with HIV have difficulties of adopting children, insure their property or life, travel abroad. They can be fired, lose family relations, hear insults in hospitals.

I shot portraits of people who are living with HIV and asked them about stigma and discrimination they have been faced. During these dialogues I try to understand their personality, their view of a life and a world and create a full image in my mind and use it while shooting.