Art Appreciation Lecture Series 2020 Love, sex and death: The constant companions of art The Family Tree Stops Here Darling: the art of David McDiarmid & David Wojnarowicz Jason Smith 12 & 13 February 2020

Lecture summary: Australian artist David McDiarmid (1952-1995) and American artist David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992) both made searing, critical, and deeply moving works of art that were complex and sometimes darkly humorous responses to gay sexualities, identity politics and popular culture during the early and devastating impacts of HIV / AIDS through the 1980s and into the 1990s. McDiarmid stated in 1993 that he ‘never saw art as being a safe thing’. He was a fan of the work of Wojnarowicz, and both men made impassioned art to counter fearmongering, in the 1980s especially, that ‘sex equalled death’. This lecture reveals some of the powerful affinities between these two internationally acclaimed artists.

Slide list: 1. David McDiarmid, The Family Tree Stops Here Darling (1994) from the Rainbow Aphorisms series 1994. 2. , Portrait of David Wojnarowicz, 1981; photographer unknown, portrait of David McDiarmid 3. David Wojnarowicz with Tom Warren Self-Portrait of David Wojnarowicz, 1983–84. Acrylic and collaged paper on gelatin silver print. Collection of Brooke Garber Neidich and Daniel Neidich 4. David Wojnarowicz painting at the piers, c. 1979 5. Left: Étienne Carjat, Arthur Rimbaud (1854-91) aged 17 c.December 1871; Right: David Wojnarowicz, Untitled, from the series Arthur Rimbaud in New York 1978-79 gelatin silver prints 6. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled, from the series Arthur Rimbaud in New York 1978-79 gelatin silver prints 7. Left: David Wojnarowicz, Street Kid 1986, acrylic and collage, Courtesy of the estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W., New York; Right: David Wojnarowicz, Peter Hujar Dreaming/Yukio Mishima: St. Sebastian 1982, Mixed media on canvas 8. David Wojnarowicz, FUCK YOU FAGGOT FUCKER 1984, black and white photographs, acrylic and collage on masonite 9. David Wojnarowicz, History Keeps Me Awake At Night (For Rilo Chmielorz), 1986 10. David Wojnarowicz, (left): Tommy's Illness/Mexico City 1987, mixed media on canvas Courtesy of the estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W., New York; (right) Something from Sleep II 1987- 88, mixed media on canvas, Courtesy of the estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W., New York 11. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled 1987 (printed 1988). Three gelatin silver prints, dimensions variable. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Foundation and the Photography Committee. © The Estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W Gallery, New York 12. David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992), Wind (For Peter Hujar) 1987. Acrylic and collaged paper on composition board, two panels, 72 × 96 in. (182.9 × 243.8 cm). Collection of the Second Ward Foundation. Image courtesy the Estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W, New York

Proudly sponsored by:

13. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled (Buffalo) 1988-89, gelatin silver print, Courtesy of the estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W., New York 14 & 15. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled from Sex Series 1988-89 gelatin silver prints, Courtesy of the estate of David Wojnarowicz and P.P.O.W., New York 16. David Wojnarowicz, When I put my hands on your body 1990, photograph on masonite 17. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled 1990 18. David Wojnarowicz’s painted leather jacket; right: Andreas Sterzing, David Wojnarowicz (Silence = Death) 1989, Estate of David Wojnarowicz and P·P·O·W Gallery, New York 19. Various artists 20. David Wojnarowicz, Untitled (One day this kid . . .) 1990, Photostat, Whitney Museum of American Art 21. title slide 22. David McDiarmid, Self-Portrait 1976 coloured pencil and gold paint on paper 63 x 50 cm Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Gift of the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 23. David McDIARMID, Secret love (1976), paint, red fibre-tipped pen, collage on graph paper, National Gallery of Victoria 24. left: Plato's end (1976), collage, metallic paint, red fibre-tipped pen on gelatin silver photograph paper, National Gallery of Victoria; middle: The Law and Us 1976; right: Boys will be boys 1976 25. David McDiarmid, An exhibition of work by homosexual and lesbian artists (1978), colour screenprint, collage, fibre-tipped pen, National Gallery of Victoria, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 26. David McDIARMID Identi-kit crisis 1978 collage of cut photocopied paper and offset lithograph, printed cotton, buff card, black embossing tape and red fibre-tipped pen on brown handmade mulberry paper, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 2017; right: Man quilt (Cruising) 1978, leather, vinyl, cotton, metal chain, paper, aluminium poles, rubber stoppers, National Gallery of Victoria, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 2000 27. David McDIARMID Trade enquires portfolio 1979 (3 sheets of several), offset lithograph, collage, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 28. David McdDiarmid, Klub kwilt 1979, New York, drawings, laser-etching synthetic polymer sheet, National Gallery of , Purchased 1991 29. left: David McDIARMID, Miguel 1984, synthetic polymer paint on cotton, National Gallery of Victoria , Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998; right: Paua kimono 1984, BUSH COUTURE, Sydney (fashion house), Linda JACKSON (designer), David McDIARMID (painter), silk (taffeta), paint National Gallery of Victoria. 30. installation view of David McDiarmid works, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Paddington, 1984 31. David McDIARMID Safe sex ball June 11 1988; Pride Queer New Year 31 December 1992; World AIDS Day 94, offset lithograph, screen print, offset lithograph, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 32. left: Cheap Trick 1990, a.k.a. Love Money, gouache on paper, 24 x 16 cm, Collection Ted Gott, Melbourne; middle: No place like (1991),gouache and pencil National Gallery of Victoria, MelbourneGift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998; right: Blood Test 1992, gouache on paper, 37 x 27 cm, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Gift of the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 33. David McDiarmid, Self-portrait (HIV+) 1990, reflective self-adhesive holographic mylar collage on painted plywood, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Gift of the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 34. left: David McDiarmid, Body language 1990, from the Kiss of light series 1990, self-adhesive holographic mylar collage on painted plywood, 152.4 × 121.8 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Purchased 1997; right: Friends of Friends 1990 (a.k.a. Spreadsheet),gouache on paper, 24 x 16 cm 35. David McDiarmid, Left: Dear death (1990), self-adhesive plastic tape on thermo-setting laminate, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998; Right: Discard after

For access to all past lecture notes visit: https:// www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/members/current-members/member-events/being- human-figure-art/ use (1990),self-adhesive plastic tape on thermo-setting laminate, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 36. David McDiarmid, Kiss of Light 1990, laser etched synthetic polymer film on synthetic polymer paint on plywood240 x 270 cm overall, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Gift of the estate of the late David R. McDiarmid 1997 37. David McDiarmid, ACON posters 1992 38. David McDiarmid’s obituary for Peter Tully 1992 39. David McDiarmid, Toxic Queen, artist’s book, 1992 40.David McDIARMID, Standard bold condensed (1994), screenprint on plastic on colour offset lithograph, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 41. David McDIARMID, Plague boy (1994) and Tired and Bitchy (1994), colour laser print and plastic, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 42. Sydney Star Observer 1995 43 - 45 Rainbow Aphorisms and ‘Q’

Reference:

Sally Gray, et al; David McDiarmid: When this you see, remember me (exhibition catalogue) , National Gallery of Victoria, 1994

Lucy R Lippard et al; David Wojnarowicz: Brushfires in the social landscape, Aperture Foundation, New York, 1994

Books or articles you have used in writing your lecture or that might be of interest to the audience.

Proudly sponsored by: