This year marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of Protease Inhibitors, which was a major sea change for people with HIV and AIDS.   Literally overnight, being diagnosed with either of these was no longer a death sentence. It was what we had prayed for since the early 1980s, and although it was too late for all the loved ones in our community we had lost,  it suddenly gave us hope for the future. 

It may be 30 years since this milestone, and although the whole subject is one that many younger generations do not want to acknowledge or talk about it,  but we so need to.  Firstly, it is not over:- 

The last published figures from the CDC from 2022 : of the 37,861 people who received an HIV diagnosis in the US (and associated states) 70%  (26789) were among gay and bisexual men

Secondly, it is crucial that we continue to be the gatekeepers of our own history: we owe that not just to the ones we lost, but to ensure we never forget.

This year, the Leica Gallery Boston is doing just that with Living with AIDS, a landmark exhibition by acclaimed photographer Sal Lopes,  which offers a powerful and deeply human look at how Boston experienced the AIDS crisis between 1988 and 1992.

This historic body of work centers on three interconnected narratives: the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, the Buddy Program organized by the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, and the daily life of the Boyce family, whose young daughter was living with AIDS. Lopes’s photographs capture moments of grief, resilience, intimacy, and care, creating a visual record of a community navigating loss while finding connection and strength.

Through his lens, Lopes documents not only the scale of the epidemic but also the quieter, deeply personal moments that defined it, including friendships formed through caregiving, families adapting to uncertainty, and the collective act of remembrance embodied in the AIDS Quilt.

Leica Camera USA told Queerguru, “Living with AIDS is a testament to the power of photography to preserve memory and deepen understanding These images remind us how communities come together in times of crisis and why these stories remain essential today.”

Sal Lopes is an internationally recognized photographer and master printer, with work held in major museum collections including the Art Institute of Chicago and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Over a decades-long career, he has built a reputation for deeply empathetic, documentary-driven storytelling.

An artist talk and book signing with Sal Lopes will take place on Saturday, June 27, from 12 to 2 PM, offering visitors the opportunity to hear directly from the artist about the making of this work and its lasting impact.