Sunday, January 15, 2023

Portraits by Jimmy DeSana

The photographer Jimmy DeSana was an important figure in the East Village New Wave and punk art worlds of the 70s and 80s. Since his death in 1990 from AIDS-related illness, DeSana's reputation has slowly grown. His first museum retrospective is taking place now, until April 16, 2023 at the Brooklyn Museum.

Here are some of my favourite Jimmy DeSana portraits.


William S. Burroughs by Jimmy DeSana, 1981. Burroughs wrote the introduction to DeSana's 1979 book Submission.



Yoko Ono by Jimmy DeSana, 1975



James Chance White by Jimmy DeSana, 1978



Jimmy DeSana, Smoke: Self-Portrait, 1985



Debbie Harry by Jimmy DeSana, 1975



Patti Astor by Jimmy DeSana, 1978



Anya Phillips by Jimmy DeSana, 1978



Ronnie Cutrone by Jimmy DeSana, 1979



Eric Mitchell by Jimmy DeSana, 1978



The album cover for The Talking Heads' 1978 album More Songs About Buildings And Food is based on a concept by David Byrne. The photographs of Jerry Harrison, David Byrne, Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth are by Jimmy DeSana. From the Museum of Modern Art collection.

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