John Giorno (December 4, 1936 – October 11, 2019) was a poet and performer, spoken word
record producer and AIDS activist. After attending Columbia, he led a conventional daytime life as a
stockbroker but met Andy Warhol in his mid-20s and became quickly involved with the Downtown art
and poetry world. He is widely known as the subject of Warhol’s first film, Sleep. Within the poetry
community he was not only a writer but a producer and purveyor. Inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s
Experiments in Art and Technology, he organized the Dial-a-Poem series, making poems freely
available over the telephone, and produced many compilation spoken word records that included a
range from Laurie Anderson and John Cage to Patti Smith and Amiri Baraka. He lived at 222
Bowery, later occupying William Burroughs’ residence, known as the Bunker. Giorno was a celebrant
of queer sex in his writing, performances, and in his creation of the AIDS Treatment Project.
In this Artifacts bonus film, writer, editor, and longtime downtown cultural figure Ira Silverberg joins Artifacts founder Steven Watson for a live conversation recorded inside William S. Burroughs’ legendary “Bunker” at 222 Bowery. Silverberg reflects on his close relationships with Burroughs and John Giorno, his time living in the Bunker, and the vibrant community that defined the building.
Presented in collaboration with Giorno Poetry Systems, this conversation illuminates the histories, friendships, and artistic networks surrounding 222 Bowery.
