This painting began with a photograph taken in Washington, D.C., in 1987—during the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights and the first display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall.
The three young men in the photograph, left to right, are Paul, me, and Rick.
Rick was my best friend from college.
Paul was my best friend from medical school.
Both died of AIDS long before they should have.
There are losses that are difficult to explain. When a parent dies, people understand. When a spouse dies, people understand.
The loss of a close friend—someone who helped shape your life—often goes unrecognized.
Today, the phrase chosen family is widely understood. In the 1980s, many of us were living it without having a name for it.
When I look at this painting, I see two men I loved.
