Whoever we are HIV-positive or not, we're
already living together.This is the concept of
Living Together Project, it has started in 2003.

The treatments have made an innovative advance
in the end of 1990's and the circumstances
surrounding HIV-positive people have been getting
much better than used to be.However, those people
are still now having the difficulties to live
their daily lives.The number of those who can
tell their families or people close to them that
they are HIV-positive has been increasing, but
there are still many people who can't tell
anyone about it and struggle to live with it.

Among HIV-positive gay and bisexual people,
there are those who are also distressed by their
own sexualities. They have sort of double
difficulties. Some of them are married or having
children.

At the same time, there are many who are saying
that it's not realistic to them, because they
don't have anyone like those people around.
They might not have anyone who can tell them
about it, and just might not know of their
existences.
Though I enforce condom distribution, or speak
out "Stop AIDS", sometime I think they won't
make any difference...

Living Together Project is the project which
visualizes the voices of HIV-positive people,
who still hesitate to have say or come out to
outside, their families, boy/ girl friends and
those who support them.

It may not only HIV- positive people who are
having struggles to live in this present
society.
And, there might be some think that it is an
additional burden to face reality.But at the
same time, the reality for HIV-positive people
has not only anger or sorrow, but also lots of
joy and smiles on the same horizon. So do any
other people.

I believe that to pay attentions to these
realities can give us the opportunity to think
"So, what can we do then?" and take the new
step together.It could be wonderful if this
opportunity can give us the ideas to make the
city better, or can be a song on radio and make
someone, walking on the streets under the
cold-winter sky, feel warm.The city, where
HIV-people can breathe freely, could mean
everyone can live in comfortably.

To make it visualized, I do think that is the
thing the artist can do.
I've been thinking that way, and been keeping
my activity.
But, I believe that anyone could be the artist
in this context, couldn't they?

WE'RE ALREADY LIVING TOGETHER.
January, 2008
AKIRA THE HUSTLER