David Wojnarowicz

DavidWojnarowicz'suseofphotography,oftendoneinconjunctionwithwritingorpainting,wasextraordinary-aswashiswayofaddressingtheAIDScrisisandissuesofcensorshipandhomophobia.BrushFiresintheSocialLandscape,begunincollaborationwiththeartistbeforehisdeathin1992andfirstpublishedin1994,engagedwhatWojnarowiczwouldrefertoashis"tribe"orcommunity.Contributors-fromartistandwriterfriendssuchasKarenFinley,NanGoldin,KikiSmith,VinceAletti,C.CarrandLucyR.Lippard,toDavidCole,thelawyerwhorepresentedhiminhiscaseagainstDonaldWildmonandtheAmericanFamilyAssociation-togetherofferacompelling,provocativeunderstandingoftheartistandhiswork.BrushFiresisalsotheonlybookthatfeaturesthebreadthofWojnarowicz'sworkwithphotography.Now,onthetwentiethanniversaryofBrushFires,wheninterestintheartist'sworkhasincreasedexponentially,thisexpandedandredesignededitionofthisseminalpublicationputstheworkinfrontofanaudiencealloveragainwhilemaintainingtheintegrityoftheoriginal.Throughthelensofvariouscontributors,thebookaddressesWojnarowicz'sprofoundlegacy:therelentlesscensorshipandethicalissues,alongsidehisaestheticbrilliance,courageandinfluence.DavidWojnarowiczwasborninRedbank,NewJersey,in1954anddiedofAIDSinNewYorkin1992.Hisartworkisinnumerousprivateandpubliccollections,includingTheMuseumofModernArtandWhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt,NewYork;LosAngelesCountyMuseumofArt;andtheNationalGalleryofCanada,Ottawa,amongotherinstitutions.Theauthoroffivebooks,WojnarowiczattainednationalprominenceasawriterandadvocateforAIDSawareness,andforhisstanceagainstcensorship.