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Mark Morrisroe
(January 10, 1959 - July 24, 1989) U.S.A.

Mark Morrisroe

Photographer

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Born in Boston. His mother was a drug-addicted prostitute. He left home at the age of 13 and began hustling. One of his disgruntled clients shot him and he carried a bullet in his chest for the rest of his life.

Mark Morrisroe Mark Morrisroe

He won a place at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, but he was disruptive as his lifestyle involved drugs, cross-dressing, and exhibitionism. There he made friends with several soon-to-be-well-known artists, including Stephen Tashjian (aka Tabboo!, with whom he founded the drag duo "Clam Twins" at the Pyramid Club in NYC's East Village).

Mark Morrisroe

His friends were the photographers Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, Jack Pierson, and Philip Lorca diCorcia. Most of his photographs were self-portraits and formed a visual diary of his life. His boyfriend in Boston was Johnathan Pierson, who later changed his name to Jack Pierson. He graduated from the Museum School with honors receiving the coveted "5th" Year" Award.

Mark MorrisroeHe performed as a drag character of his own creation, Sweet Raspberry, and co-founded a zine called Dirt Magazine with his friend Lynelle White, distributing it in Boston nightclubs. This zine was composed of fake news and gossip about celebrities, bands and other famous people, mostly from Boston.

He contracted HIV and towards the end of his life he spent so much time in hospital he set up a dark room in the ward shower. He died in Jersey City, New Jersey, aged 30, from complications of AIDS. His ashes are scattered in McMinnville, Oregon on the farm of his last boyfriend, Ramsey McPhillips. When he died 2000 Polaroids were found along with Super-8 films.

His fame has increased steadily since his death. He is considered a member of the New England School of Photography and his work is found in many important collections including that of the Whitney and MOCA of Los Angeles. The estate of Mark Morrisroe (Collection Ringier) is currently located at the Fotomuseum Winterthur.

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Sources: The Knitting Circle, U.K. - http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/people.html - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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