To those unfamiliar with his work, David Wojnarowicz's art can often feel raw, wild, and easy to understand. But a closer examination of his paintings, stencils, films, and writings reveals a complex multifaceted use of symbols that borders on a private language.

For the last two years, I've been developing an exhibition for NYU, about the symbols created by artist David Wojnarowicz. Using only the ephemera from his archive (and in particular, The Magic Box), this show provides a useful counterpoint to The Whitney Museum's upcoming Wojnarowicz retrospective.