David Wojnarowicz: 70 Years
Overview
On the occasion of what would have been his 70th birthday, the New York City AIDS Memorial—in collaboration with the David Wojnarowicz Foundation, Visual AIDS, and P·P·O·W—staged a production of David Wojnarowicz’s seminal monologues, The Waterfront Journals. Written early in his career, the texts draw on autobiographical fiction inspired by the transient figures and voices he encountered across the city in his early twenties. The event featured live readings, musical accompaniment by members of Wojnarowicz's former band, the unveiling of a dedicated park bench, and a sunset communal procession to the Hudson River waterfront.
Project Context & Curatorial Role
As Commissioner and Producer, I co-directed the production, site strategy, and organizational partnerships across four major institutions to honor Wojnarowicz's radical legacy as an artist, writer, and AIDS activist.
Introduced by Amy Scholder, the monologues were brought to life through readings by artists, writers, and contemporaries including Tommy Turner, James Romberger, Marguerite Van Cook, Peter McGough, Nayland Blake, Morgan Bassichis, Paul Soileau, and Pamela Sneed. Live music was performed by Rimbaud Hattie—featuring Wojnarowicz’s former 3 Teens Kill 4 bandmates Doug Bressler and Julie Hair, alongside performance artist John Kelly—connecting the spoken word to the downtown post-punk aesthetic that defined Wojnarowicz’s era.
The afternoon marked the official unveiling of a permanent park bench at the Memorial dedicated to Wojnarowicz, celebrating his relentless championing of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Following the performances, a public procession moved from the Memorial to Hudson River Park, symbolically ushering his spirit back to the piers and waterfront spaces that deeply shaped his life and work.
Role: Commissioner/Producer
With the David Wojnarowicz Foundation, P·P·O·W, and Visual AIDS
Date: September 14, 2024
Location: New York City AIDS Memorial, New York, NY
Readers & Performers: Morgan Bassichis, Nayland Blake, John Kelly, Peter McGough, James Romberger, Amy Scholder, Pamela Sneed, Paul Soileau, Tommy Turner, Marguerite Van Cook; Rimbaud Hattie (Doug Bressler, Julie Hair, John Kelly)
