Anthony Napoli Collection of David Wojnarowicz Letters
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Abstract
The Anthony Napoli Collection of David Wojnarowicz Letters include correspondence sent to Anthony M. Napoli by his one-time colleague at the New York City bookshop Bookmasters, David Wojnarowicz. The letters, produced in 1979 and 1980 while Wojnarowicz was living in Paris and Brooklyn, describe his quality of life at the time and touch on his forthcoming "Rimbaud In New York" series, published in the SoHo Weekly News.
Biographical/Historical note
Anthony Napoli received his B.A. from New York University in 1976 and immediately began his writing career as a clerk and eventually as Night Manager at the now defunct Bookmasters chain. It was at the lower store located deep in Penn Station that he and co-worker David Wojnarowicz met, along with the rest of the gang of wannabe writers, artists, actors, emigres, existencialistas and literary miscreants who mostly read and sometimes even sold books as they wiled away the hours until their real lives began.
David eventually ascended to prominence as an Outlaw/Artist, but for a little while, he and Tony maintained a correspondence and more-or-less literary friendship, with David in Paris, Normandy, and Vinegar Hill (near pre-DUMBO DUMBO) in Brooklyn. Tony left the book business, eventually working as a reporter and editor for technology, entertainment, political and business publications, later working in public affairs and marketing, and then moving onto a long career in a broad range of management, analytical and operational positions in human resources and business affairs with the NYC Department of Education.
Tony and his wife, Judy, an artist and educator, have four children and one grandchild and currently live in Brooklyn. Despite the demands of family and work, he continues to read, think and write, and maintains an occasional blog, "Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn."
Quote: "That David Wojnarowicz was so talented and so brave during the outset of the AIDS era and the early culture wars, only makes his premature death seem all the more tragic and a loss to art and freedom."
Source: Anthony Napoli
Arrangement
This collection has not been arranged by an archivist. The materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from the donor.
Scope and Content
The Anthony Napoli Collection of David Wojnarowicz Letters consists of correspondence written to Anthony M. Napoli by the artist David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992) in 1979 and 1980. As a bookseller at the now-defunct Bookmasters bookshop in the late 1970s, Anthony M. Napoli worked alongside a young Wojnarowicz, and upon Wojnarowicz's move to France, kept in touch with him by mail. Wojnarowicz sent Napoli book recommendations and described the condition of his life in Paris and Normandy, writing in a single-spaced, associative manner that is reminiscent of his later work in The Waterfront Journals and Close to the Knives. Napoli resumed contact with Wojnarowicz when the artist returned to America to live in an apartment near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The collection consists of five letters - three from Paris, two from Brooklyn - as well as a flyer for Wojnarowicz's performance, "Leaning With That Grey Beast of Desire", excerpts from the SoHo Weekly News' publication of "Rimbaud In New York", and a catalog from Pocaio's Bookshop in Bonn, Germany.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Anthony Napoli Collection of David Wojnarowicz Letters; MSS 446; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Acquired from Anthony M. Napoli in 2015.
About this Guide
Processing Information note
At the time of accessioning, materials were moved into archival housing, and a collection finding aid was created to describe these materials. No physical processing or arrangement was performed at this time.
