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A paperback copy of Dear Jean Pierre by David Wojnarowicz lies on a gray surface, its cover featuring a monochrome illustration of a shirtless person.

David Wojnarowicz
Dear Jean Pierre

This 600-page publication collects hundreds of postcards and letters between David Wojnarowicz and his Parisian lover Jean Pierre Delage from 1979 to 1982.

Capturing a truly foundational moment for Wojnarowicz’s artistic and literary practice, these letters not only reveal his captivating personality—and its concomitant tenderness, compassion, and neuroses—but also index the development of the visual language that would go on to define him as one of the preeminent artists of his generation. Through this collection, readers are introduced to Wojnarowicz’s Rimbaud series, his band 3 Teens Kill 4, the publication of his first photographs, his early friendship with Peter Hujar, his participation in the then-emerging East Village art and music scenes, and the preparations for the publication of his first book. Included with these writings are postcards, drawings, xeroxes, photographs, collages, flyers, ephemera, and contact sheets that showcase some of the artist’s iconic images and work, such as the 'Burning House' motif and 'Untitled (Genet, after Brassai)'.

Published by Primary Information, Designed by Pacific, Softcover, 8½ × 11 inches, 616 pages

A two-page spread: the left page shows a vintage photo of a building with a sign that reads EMPIRE. The right page shows the back of a postcard with handwritten notes and arrows, referencing a chef in New York City.
Left page: Colorful drawing of a person in green and red armor holding a spear, facing a spotted animal in a grassy field with plants and a bright sun. Right page: Handwritten letter on cream paper.
A handwritten letter appears on the left side of the image. On the right, there is a black-and-white photo of a person lying face down on a patterned surface, with a cartoonish tattoo labeled JAMES DEAN on their back.
Two letters on a black background: one handwritten in cursive on yellowed paper, the other typed on white paper. Both letters are displayed side by side, showing different writing styles and formats. Page number 504 is at the bottom left.
A two-page timeline compares events from 1979 and 1980 in black text on a white background. Each year lists detailed events by month in parallel columns separated by a thin grey line.
A brightly lit exhibition room with three display cases in a row, receding into the background. A self runs along all walls in the room. Above the shelf the white walls are covered in framed works.