John Giorno facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Giorno
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Giorno in 2010
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| Born | December 4, 1936 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | October 11, 2019 (aged 82) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Columbia University |
| Occupation | Poet, performance artist |
| Spouse(s) | Ugo Rondinone |
John Giorno (born December 4, 1936, died October 11, 2019) was an American poet. He was also a performance artist. He started a company called Giorno Poetry Systems. This company helped poets share their work in new ways. He created cool projects like Dial-A-Poem.
John became well-known after being in Andy Warhol's film Sleep (1964). He also worked to help people with AIDS. He raised money for them. John was a follower of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism for many years.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Giorno was born in New York City. He grew up in Brooklyn and Roslyn Heights. He went to James Madison High School. He then graduated from Columbia University in 1958. For a short time, he worked as a stockbroker in New York.
Creative Work and Pop Art
In 1962, John met the famous artist Andy Warhol. This happened at Warhol's first art show in New York. Warhol's art style was called Pop Art. Warhol became a big influence on John's poetry and performances.
Warhol's Films
Andy Warhol made a silent film called Sleep in 1964. This film shows John Giorno sleeping for over five hours. Another film by Warhol featuring John was John Washing. This film was much shorter, only about 4 and a half minutes.
Poetry and New Ideas
Warhol and other artists like Robert Rauschenberg inspired John. John started using Pop Art ideas in his poetry. He would take images he found and use them in his poems. One of his first books was Poems (1967).
John also met writers William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. They taught him about "cut-up" techniques. This means cutting up texts and putting them back together in new ways. John used this for his audio poems. One of these was played at a museum in Paris in 1965.
Poetry and Technology
John Giorno wanted to connect poetry to new audiences. He used new technologies to do this.
Electronic Poetry
In 1966, John started making "Electronic Sensory Poetry Environments." He worked with Robert Moog, who created synthesizers. They made exciting poetry shows with lights and sounds. These shows were held in places like St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery.
Dial-A-Poem
In 1965, John started Giorno Poetry Systems. This company helped poets share their work. In 1967, John created the first Dial-A-Poem event. People could call a phone number and listen to short poems. This project was very popular. It was even shown at the Museum of Modern Art in 1970.
Giorno Poetry Systems also released records of these poems. Many famous poets and artists recorded for them. These included Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, and Philip Glass.
Unique Poetry Style
John's poetry changed a lot in the late 1960s. He started using two columns in his poems. He also repeated words and phrases. This made his poems sound like echoes when he performed them. His book Balling Buddha (1970) shows this style.
His poems also started to talk about politics. John was involved in protests against the Vietnam War.
Buddhism and Activism
In 1971, John traveled to India. There, he met Dudjom Rinpoche, a leader in Tibetan Buddhism. John became one of the first Western students of Tibetan Buddhism. He helped bring Tibetan teachers to New York City.
His poetry also started to include Buddhist ideas. His later poems mixed Buddhist teachings with modern art styles.
Helping Others
In 1984, John started an AIDS charity. It was called the AIDS Treatment Project. This charity still helps people with AIDS today. It gives them money and other support.
Later Works and Performances
John Giorno made many recordings, videos, and books. He performed at poetry festivals around the world. He was especially active in Europe.
In 2007, he appeared in a film called Nine Poems in Basilicata. This film was based on his poems. He also worked with Spanish rock singer Javier Colis on music-poetry shows.
Art and Poetry
In 2010, John had his first art show in New York City. It was called Black Paintings and Drawings. He showed works that combined words and images. He wanted people to experience poetry in new ways.
In 2011, he was in a music video for the band R.E.M.. The song was called "We All Go Back to Where We Belong".
Death
John Giorno passed away on October 11, 2019. He was 82 years old. He died from a heart attack at his home in New York City. At the time of his death, he was married to artist Ugo Rondinone.
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See also
In Spanish: John Giorno para niños
