Weight of the Earth: The Tape Journals of David Wojnarowicz

The transcribed tape journals of David Wojnarowicz, recorded as he faced an AIDS diagnosis and the loss of friends in late-1980s New York.

The tapes were made mainly in 1987 and 1989, on solitary road trips and in his New York loft. They cover his frustration with the art world, his dreams, his reaction to his HIV diagnosis, and his thoughts on death, sexuality, violence and the limits of language. Lisa Darms and David O'Neill edited the transcripts and David Velasco wrote the introduction. The recordings are held at the Fales Library at New York University.

David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992) was a painter, photographer, filmmaker, performer and writer. He was in the 1985 Whitney Biennial and made the film A Fire in My Belly (1986-1987). His memoirs include Close to the Knives (1991) and Memories That Smell Like Gasoline (1992).