David Wojnarowicz: Dear Jean Pierre

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Dear Jean Pierre collects David Wojnarowicz’s correspondence with his Parisian lover Jean Pierre Delage from 1979 to 1982, capturing a pivotal moment in Wojnarowicz’s artistic journey. These letters reveal his captivating personality, marked by tenderness, compassion, and neuroses, while also showcasing the evolution of the visual language that defined him as a leading artist of his generation. Readers are introduced to Wojnarowicz’s Rimbaud series, the band 3 Teens Kill 4, the release of his first photographs, and his early friendship with Peter Hujar, alongside his involvement in the burgeoning East Village art and music scenes. The collection includes postcards, drawings, xeroxes, photographs, collages, flyers, and contact sheets, highlighting iconic works like the Burning House motif and Untitled (Genet, after Brassai). Beyond these artistic milestones, the letters portray Wojnarowicz as a young man navigating life and love with earnestness, capturing the essence of youth and longing. While both men exchanged letters, Delage’s correspondences are largely lost, leaving a revealing glimpse into Wojnarowicz’s internal world during these formative years.