Astrid Dill

null and void

On August 21st, 2014, Uganda’s constitutional court overturned the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was signed the same year, on February 24th, on a technicality. It criminalized consensual and repeated same sex relations, punishable by life in prison. African political and religious leaders erect the widespread belief that homosexuality is un-African and against the order of nature. The impact was wide-reaching and the ensuing fear pervasive. Even though Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was scrapped in August 2014, the homophobic ideology of the society, politicians and religious leaders remains. Uganda plans to introduce a new Anti-gay law that will withstand any legal challenge.

The work null and void follows up the Ugandan LGBTI community, to show their personal struggle and the impact and aftermath of the anti-gay law on every aspect of their life. In particular, it focuses on the invisible realities, the emotional experience of the situation and the sense of isolation.

Astrid Dill

Astrid Dill is a documentary photographer, currently based in Berlin. After a training as a photographer, she completed her studies in Photodesign at Munich University of Applied Sciences and started freelancing in 2010. In 2013 Astrid was selected for Noorderlicht Photography Masterclass. Her work deals mostly with subjects and issues that involve the society and human relationships, focused on marginalized groups.

This includes the work “I’m still with you”, about the Memory Books in Uganda. Since 2010, she has been documenting the influence of breakdance and Hip Hop for socially disadvantaged young people in Uganda. In 2011, she captured individual stories of immigration on behalf of the Goethe Institut. In March 2014 Astrid started ongoing longterm project “Null and Void”, documenting the impact of Ugandas Anti-Homosexuality Law.

She has been working for clients such as WWF Germany, Médecins du Monde, UNICEF and Goethe Institut. Her work has been published in different media like Nido, missio magazin, emotion, GEOlino and stern.de.