Weekly, Adrain Chesser

Adrain Chesser is a photographer from Okeechobee, Florida. In his work "I Have Something To Tell You", Chesser takes on the task of disclosing to his friends and family that he has been diagnosed with AIDS. Of course telling someone such news is a difficult task in itself, but I think that Chesser's idea of making portraits during this situation exhibits an immense amount of courage. In the work, Chesser brings each of the subjects to his studio under the premise that they will be taking a headshot for a new project. He sits them down, and simply tells them "I have something to tell you" and in the moment before he discloses his news, he takes their portrait. In this moment you can see what embedded emotions each subject has associated with the phrase, and their immediate reactions to past events that have changed their lives following being told the phrase before. Chesser mentions in his artist statement that the phrase is associated with life altering moments, and that the phrase becomes kind of a mile-marker in life. I find it interesting that in a way, we want to protect ourselves from such life altering moments if they are going to result in negative emotions being experienced from what follows that phrase, and despite the fact that we know what comes next is important, our minds attempt to shield us from the pain by taking us out of the situation at hand and into our own personal memories.