Collection: David Wojnarowicz

David Wojnarowicz (1954–1992) was an American artist, writer, filmmaker, photographer, and AIDS activist. From 1970 until 1973 he lived on the streets of New York City as a street hustler. He exhibited his work in well-known East Village galleries, notably Civilian Warfare, Ground Zero Gallery, and Gracie Mansion, and fought and successfully saved an injunction against Donald Wildmon and the American Family Association for their distortion of his work in violation of the New York Artists’ Authorship Rights Act. Wojnarowicz died of AIDS-related complications on 22 July 1992 at the age of 37.

His practice crossed painting, photography, film, writing, and performance, and was deeply engaged with questions of visibility, mortality, sexuality, and political resistance during the AIDS crisis. P.P.O.W worked with Wojnarowicz from 1988 and represents his estate.

Items in this section include artist publications, exhibition catalogues, and printed matter in which Wojnarowicz’s work passes from gallery and archive into distributable printed support.