John Giorno
1936–
Introduction
John Giorno (December 4, 1936 – October 11, 2019) was an American poet and performance artist. He founded the not-for-profit production company Giorno Poetry Systems and organized a number of early multimedia poetry experiments and events. Giorno's creative journey was marked by collaborations, groundbreaking initiatives, and a deep exploration of diverse art forms. He gained prominence through his association with pop art luminary Andy Warhol, sparking a creative partnership that propelled his career to new heights.
Giorno's artistic evolution was shaped by his encounters with Warhol and other influential figures. His notable appearance in Warhol's 1964 film Sleep, where he slept on camera for over five hours, introduced audiences to his unique blend of performance and artistic expression. Giorno's creative trajectory was marked by an array of multimedia poetry experiments, one of which was the pioneering "Dial-A-Poem" project. This venture allowed individuals to access brief poems by contemporary poets via telephone, forging a novel connection between technology and poetry.
Collaboration was a hallmark of Giorno's work, as he joined forces with renowned artists, including William S. Burroughs, Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, and Robert Mapplethorpe. His poetic style evolved over time, encompassing techniques such as appropriation, cut-ups, and montage. His signature double-column poems, characterized by repetition, mirrored the vocal distortions he employed in his performances. As Giorno's career progressed, his work began to incorporate political themes, notably his active protests against the Vietnam War.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Giorno embraced spirituality and activism. A transformative trip to India in 1971 introduced him to Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the Nyingma tradition. He was one of the earliest Western students of Tibetan Buddhism, inviting various Tibetan teachers to New York City and hosting them. As a committed AIDS activist, he founded the AIDS Treatment Project in 1984, providing vital support to those affected by the epidemic. Giorno's impact extended globally, as he continued to perform, collaborate, and exhibit his work, leaving an enduring legacy in the worlds of poetry, performance art, and multimedia exploration.
Wikidata identifier
Q642513
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed January 12, 2026.
Introduction
Poet and painter was the subject of Andy Warhol's 1963 film "Sleep," and created the "Dial-A-Poem" service. He was an intimate of William S. Burroughs, among others in the downtown Manhattan art world from the 1960s onward. As Giorno Poetry Systems he released more than 50 albums of poetry and music, with collaborators such as Laurie Anderson, Gregory Corso, Patti Smith, Karen Finley, Hüsker Dü, Anne Waldman, Richard Hell, Philip Glass, Glenn Branca, and Burroughs.
Roles
Artist, conceptual artist, graphic artist, painter, performance artist, poet, producer
ULAN identifier
500352063
Names
John Giorno
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed January 26, 2026.
