28^th Leukerbad International Literary Festival

Authors

John Giorno

USA

John Giorno (1936 – 2019) was an American performance artist and poet. He was the founder of the Giorno Poetry Systems and a key figure in the New York Beatnik subculture scene. His diverse artistic works and social initiatives have long been under-recognized. In his autobiography, Great Demon Kings, he makes tangible the pulsating cultural life in New York from the 1960s to his death. It is also a testament of an openly gay life at a time when homosexuality was still not acceptable.
John Giorno’s interest in integrating found elements, new media, and everyday culture stemmed from his connections in the Pop Art and Beat poetry scenes. Throughout his life, he sought new ways to disseminate poetry. In the late 1960s, he initiated his most renowned venture, “Dial-A-Poem,” in which the general public could call a telephone number and have a poem read out loud to them. Giorno is also considered a precursor to the poetry slam.

Grosse Dämonenkönige. Ein Leben voller Sex, Kunst, Poesie, Tod und Erleuchtung. Aus dem Amerikanischen von Urs Engeler. Secession 2023

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