Among the plethora of artists whose work defined the subversive new chapter of New York’s 1980’s art scene, few did so with the kind of scathing honesty as American artist, writer, filmmaker and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz. Abandoned by his parents at a young age he became a victim of abuse, flitting between loveless homes and the life of a street hustler for much of his adolescent life. By the time he settled in Manhattan’s East Village in 1978, Wojnarowicz was no stranger to suffering and his early stencil works, houses set ablaze graffitied onto the sides of buildings, reflected an anguish that never really left him.

Over twenty-five years after he tragically died of HIV AIDS in 1992, an illness that shaped much of his later oeuvre, four of his most recognised photographs make up a limited edition collection of t-shirts, conceived by Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson. The project aims to shine a light on Wojnarowicz’ legacy, not only as a supremely gifted artist, but an activist whose protest during the height of the 1980s AIDS crisis set a precedent that many would follow. Following the death of his long time mentor and lover Peter Hujar in 1987 of AIDS, Wojnarowicz discovered he too was HIV-positive and his ensuing protest against the social and political injustices suffered by himself and so many of his friends, took a much more explicit path.

Untitled (Face in Dirt) and Untitled (one day this kid…) both reflect the suffering and anger faced by gay communities at the time, and now, thanks to the good folk at Loewe, will help shape the next generation of AIDS awareness. Created with the support of the Visual AIDS Foundation and the P.P.O.W (which represent the artist’s estate), the sales proceeds of the t-shirts will be donated to Visual AIDS, an organisation founded in 1988 to preserve and promote the work of HIV-positive artists. With a limited edition run of 400 for each design, we recommend you act fast and purchase by the armful.

The t-shirts will be available at loewe.com and Visual AIDS online, Dover Street Market (London and Tokyo), and at Printed Matter and the P.P.O.W Gallery in New York.