About
John Giorno began collecting his archives as a young poet. Inspired by the collecting of Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg, he carefully traced every passing event of his career from 1965 into the present day, organizing the materials by himself in an idiosyncratic way for nearly fifty years.
The collections span published poems, publicity, press releases, photographic materials, posters and flyers, Giorno’s earliest prints and artworks, Giorno Poetry Systems records and recorded media, original artwork mechanicals, Dial-A-Poem materials, family and ancestry materials, “consumer product poems,” manuscripts, correspondences, dharma materials, and more.
Unprocessed collections or archival series held by the Foundation include the Giorno Poetry Systems Tape Archive, Dharma Papers, and a vast collection of correspondence between John Giorno and many art world figures.
The digitally-reproduced archives on display for Ugo Rondinone: I ♥ John Giorno at Palais de Tokyo, Paris, 2015
The John Giorno Collection is the only fully processed collection within the greater umbrella of the John Giorno Archives. John Giorno collected the materials from his adolescence through 2015. The collection contains materials documenting John Giorno’s performances and public appearances, written work and visual art, and personal activities. Material types include books, periodicals, photographic materials, promotional materials, audiovisual materials, artwork, mechanicals, T-shirts, digital media, and other ephemera. The bulk of the collection was processed and digitized 2013–2015, resulting in over 15,000 images. Most items are available as high resolution surrogates for research, publication, and exhibition purposes.
Download the John Giorno Collection Finding Aid (Abridged)
Rights & Reproductions
Established in 2015, the John Giorno Foundation Archives collects, preserves, manages, and provides access to its collection of artist papers and other documents of historical value related to John Giorno, his collaborators, and the time in which he lived. The Archives welcome research inquiries, and most items are available as high res digital surrogates for educational or scholarly purposes.
The John Giorno Foundation acquires donations of papers related to the artist, particularly correspondence or photographic materials, on a select basis. Questions regarding potential donations of papers related to John Giorno can be sent to archivist@giornofoundation.org.