MARCH 10, 1995 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

EVENINGS OUT

A&U promotes understanding of AIDS-in gay white men

Art and Understanding The International Magazine of Literature and Art about AIDS

Reviewed by Jim Petruzzi

"One of the horrors of AIDS is that it cuts people down in their prime; they never get to fulfull their potential as human beings," actress Cybill Shepherd told Art and Understanding. Shepherd's words reflect the purpose of the magazine-to promote understanding of people stricken with AIDS.

The well-written exchange with Shepherd, by features editor Nick Steele, is her first indepth interview in five years. It is also one of the highlights of the magazine, which is the first nationally distributed HIV/AIDS magazine.

Shepherd gives her opinions and experiences as an activist for AIDS, gay and lesbian issues, pro-choice and feminism. The interview is well-balanced and integrated with a more personal view of Shepherd; touching on how being surrounded by racism in the sixties led her to take a stand against prejudice, how she began acting, and her disappointment with the celebrity community's relucance to "show the diversity of life."

Shepherd also discusses the death of close friends from AIDS-related illnesses, and raising her children,.

The only other interview in the magazine was with author Paul Reed, and is followed by an excerpt from his latest book, The Savage Garden. Reed was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1985, but remains relatively healthy. He said he has learned and grown since confronting the possiblity of death. His book shares his mood swings as he goes between hopelessness and discovering beauty in everyday life.

The third highlight of this third anniversary issue of A & U is an excerpt from Carolyn Jones' book Living Proof, a photo essay of men, women and children with AIDS. It is disappointing that only four portraits

were included

because this piece probably best illustrates what Art and Understand-

ing promotes.

The color magazine is well put together, and the interviews and ne W S

featues are very good.

The small section about the contributors to the publication is a nice touch. Advertising is sparse, and there are fewer ads for viatical settlements than might be expected. But, for a disease that knows no boundaries, the content of Art and Understanding is definitely skewed toward the gay white male. It seems a disclaimer toward that end would be appropriate. This particular issue fell extremely short of promoting a true understanding of AIDS.

Perhaps the bias reflects the contributions received, but one would think the editors would make an effort to balance the content, and include "works from all walks of life" as Editor-in-Chief David L. Waggoner suggests in his editorial.

Of all the stories, works, interviews, poems and news, 13 were doen by men and only one by a woman, the photo-essay by Carolyn Jones. Futhermore, it seems that the only balanced views of AIDS came from Jones' photo essay and Shepherd's interview.

Art & Understanding was begun in 1991 by Brown University graduate David L. Waggoner as a non-profit organization to collect, archive, print, and distribute the growing body of literary and artistic expression emanating from the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Call 800-841-8707 for subscription information.

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