De Sana, Jimmy

Jimmy De Sana was born in Detroit on November 12, 1949, where he lived until his family relocated to Atlanta in 1955. De Sana studied art in high school and at the University of Georgia in Atlanta. In 1972, before moving to New York City, he published 101 Nudes, a lithographic portfolio. This first mature work, comprised of nude photographs of himself and his friends in suburban settings, introduced themes that remained important throughout his career.

De Sana's first exhibition took place in 1979 at the Stefanotti Gallery on West 57th Street. A visible figure in the East Village art scene of the 1970s and 1980s, he participated in the "Times Square Show", "New York/New Wave" and was a frequent contributor to FILE Magazine, SoHo News, the Village Voice, Bomb and New York Rocker. He self-published a book of photographs, Submission, in 1980, which includes an introduction by William S. Burroughs. Though his career lasted less than two decades, De Sana produced work in a variety of styles. He used unconventional processes and techniques including negative prints, double exposures, and vividly colored lighting.

At the time of his death, De Sana was working on a book of photographic collages, made largely in the darkroom, constructed of images of mundane household objects. The book, Salvation, remains incomplete. De Sana was represented by Pat Hearn Gallery from 1987 (posthumously) through 1997. De Sana died of AIDS in New York City in 1990. He was forty years old. His work continues to be shown internationally.

Sources:

Bourdon, David. "Jimmy De Sana at Pat Hearn." Art in America, November, 1995

From the guide to the Jimmy De Sana Papers, Bulk, 1977-1990, 1954-1997, (© 2010 Fales Library and Special Collections)

Jimmy De Sana was born in Detroit on November 12, 1949, where he lived until his family relocated to Atlanta in 1955. De Sana studied art in high school and at the University of Georgia in Atlanta. In 1972, before moving to New York City, he published 101 Nudes, a lithographic portfolio. This first mature work, comprised of nude photographs of himself and his friends in suburban settings, introduced themes that remained important throughout his career.

De Sana's first exhibition took place in 1979 at the Stefanotti Gallery on West 57th Street. A visible figure in the East Village art scene of the 1970s and 1980s, he participated in the "Times Square Show", "New York/New Wave" and was a frequent contributor to FILE Magazine, SoHo News, the Village Voice, Bomb and New York Rocker. He self-published a book of photographs, Submission, in 1980, which includes an introduction by William S. Burroughs. Though his career lasted less than two decades, De Sana produced work in a variety of styles. He used unconventional processes and techniques including negative prints, double exposures, and vividly colored lighting.

At the time of his death, De Sana was working on a book of photographic collages, made largely in the darkroom, constructed of images of mundane household objects. The book, Salvation, remains incomplete. De Sana was represented by Pat Hearn Gallery from 1987 (posthumously) through 1997. De Sana died of AIDS in New York City in 1990. He was forty years old. His work continues to be shown internationally.

Sources:

Bourdon, David. "Jimmy De Sana at Pat Hearn." Art in America, November, 1995

From the guide to the Jimmy De Sana Papers, Bulk, 1977-1990, 1954-1997, (© 2009 Fales Library and Special Collections)