Timour Desdemoustier, STUDY ON VULNERABILITY - I saw my mom watching the news

It all started with a question on the body and its representations, particularly the ambiguity that can exist between its strengths and weaknesses. I was first brought to that matter through the work of a young gay male prostitute, who had contracted HIV. He documented on his clients and had an exhibition displaying their portraits. In this particular case, the disease can, in a way, confess of the fragility of a human body. What also is so specific to this situation is that the young photographer got ill while seducing, while using his body, while using his assets to attract others, hence a questioning on ambiguity.

Also, through this process, I have tried to focus more on the vulnerable side of the story. Here, I came across different topics I could research on. Then, what particularly interested me was trying to find answers, ways we put in place to take advantage over this weakness. What could be found to decrease or even annihilate this feature.

That is how I started to wonder if the disappearance of a body was necessarily related to the disappearance of an individual. Isn’t he or she going to last longer through his/her legacy and heritage?

Being from a multi-cultural background this question has shaken me. That was a subject I had never thought about before. Yes, my parents are from totally different cultures, one is from Belgium and has a catholic education while the other comes from Morocco and has a muslim one. However, it never seemed to have any kind of influence on me. But, even if I don’t necessary feel like I am from different backgrounds, migration, even if I did not experience it, is a part of me and a matter, I think, is relevant to my story.

It all started with a question on the body and its representations, particularly the ambiguity that can exist between its strengths and weaknesses. I was first brought to that matter through the work of a young gay male prostitute, who had contracted HIV. He documented on his clients and had an exhibition displaying their portraits. In this particular case, the disease can, in a way, confess of the fragility of a human body. What also is so specific to this situation is that the young photographer got ill while seducing, while using his body, while using his assets to attract others, hence a questioning on ambiguity.

Also, through this process, I have tried to focus more on the vulnerable side of the story. Here, I came across different topics I could research on. Then, what particularly interested me was trying to find answers, ways we put in place to take advantage over this weakness. What could be found to decrease or even annihilate this feature.

That is how I started to wonder if the disappearance of a body was necessarily related to the disappearance of an individual. Isn’t he or she going to last longer through his/her legacy and heritage?

Being from a multi-cultural background this question has shaken me. That was a subject I had never thought about before. Yes, my parents are from totally different cultures, one is from Belgium and has a catholic education while the other comes from Morocco and has a muslim one. However, it never seemed to have any kind of influence on me. But, even if I don’t necessary feel like I am from different backgrounds, migration, even if I did not experience it, is a part of me and a matter, I think, is relevant to my story.