When a close friend's child died after receiving a blood transfusion carrying the AIDS virus, Masami Teraoka, angered by the incident, turned to the broad subject of pollution, often depicting the wrath of nature against the human disregard for morals and ethics. In the 'AIDS series' Teraoka's subjects offer a balance between humour and dread, often re-invigorating traditional ukiyo-e symbols to satirically comment on environmental degradation and irresponsible sexual behaviour.

In the print AIDS Series/Geisha and Ghost Cat, an intimate couple in a pre-coital state are disturbed by an apparition that appears from a packet of unused condoms. A ghostly drama unfolds in which a cat appears to be devouring a geisha as tissues flutter around them in the air. Teraoka has deliberately illustrated both female subjects - ghost and woman - as strikingly similar in looks for, in his opinion, anyone who defiles the earth or practises unsafe sex is destined to become a ghost. The spirit world has a long and significant history in Japanese folklore. It is said that upon death if the soul is not purified it is destined to plague the earth: during the Edo period (1600-1868), death by disease or epidemic meant becoming a monstrous demon.(1)

1. Rubin, Norman A. Ghosts, demons and spirits in Japanese Lore, 26 June 2000, <http://www.asianart.com/articles/rubin/>, viewed 11 October 2005.