the art of AIDS

Edward Lightner

Edward Lightner was born and grew up in Bakersfield, California, and earned his BA from Cal State Bakersfield in the mid-1980s. He moved to Florida and attended the University of South Florida for a year and then traveled. He was awarded an MA from Cal State Northridge in late 1980s and then settled in the Los Angeles area. It was here that he first really explored his sexuality, and was where he was diagnosed HIV-positive. As Ed notes: "My HIV status has informed much of the art that I create. It is not driven by it, but it does affect many of my choices of images and themes, along with an interest in recontextualizing much of the industrial music I prefer, religious dogma and a good helping of what many would deem pornographic imagery." Ed is interested in the generative and destructive power that lies within us all, and this is manifest in the stylised representations of nuclear fission (atomic explosions) and sex that feature in much of his work. 

In addition to Paul Sendziuk's interview with Ed (accessible by clicking on his portrait in the left-hand corner of the page), more information about the artist can be found at his official website: http://www.edlightner.com.