Issue 5, Living Proof Magazine.

Martin Wong was an artist deeply embedded in the Lower East Side’s cultural tapestry. His paintings depicted scenes ranging from prison cells and brick walls to the vibrant downtown characters he surrounded himself with. He found community among outsiders and amassed a significant collection of graffiti artifacts beginning in the ‘80s, which he later donated to the Museum of the City of New York.

Living Proof is proud to showcase excerpts from a book of poems Wong self-published in 1968, “Footprints, Poems, and Leaves.” Written in San Francisco, these poems, along with accompanying drawings and ceramic works created in 1970, offer a glimpse into the inner life of an artist who embraced downtown New York with unwavering generosity. They reveal Wong’s early interest in themes and communities that would later define his work in NYC.

The full facsimile edition of “Footprints, Poems, and Leaves,” is available through Primary Information

Introduction by: David Ai Wang

Facsimile edition: Copyright Martin Wong Foundation. Courtesy of Primary Information, the Martin Wong Foundation, and P·P·O·W, New York. All images: Copyright Martin Wong Foundation. Courtesy of the Martin Wong Foundation, and P·P·O·W, New York.

Full feature: Issue 5, Living Proof Magazine. Available on Patreon or our Online Shop.