The first monograph to trace artist and activist Gregg Bordowitz’s visual practice.

For over four decades, Gregg Bordowitz has been a force in contemporary art, recognized for his work as an AIDS activist and an artist working in video, conceptual art, and institutional critique. During the 1980s, Bordowitz made vital contributions in the early years of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in New York, where he cofounded video collectives including Testing the Limits and DIVA (Damn Interfering Video Activists). His collaborative activist work formed the foundation of his art practice—a sprawling, diverse, and deeply human endeavor that has explored his gay and Jewish identities within the context of the ongoing AIDS crisis. 

Despite his expansive artistic production, activism, and influence, there has yet to be a full monographic exploration of Bordowitz’s work. This landmark volume serves as the first publication dedicated exclusively to his visual work, offering a comprehensive portrait of an artist in constant motion. I Wanna Be Well—named after the 1977 Ramones song—traces the emergence of his visual art practice. Developed in close collaboration with Bordowitz and a team of art historians, curators, scholars, poets, and artists who have worked with him over the years, this book reveals Bordowitz’s practice as an evolving investigation of how to live, teach, and make art through sustained acts of care, critique, and remembrance. Lavishly illustrated with color throughout, the essays, interviews, poetry, and other writings gathered here present a rich look at Bordowitz’s life and career.