Nelson Sullivan
Nelson Sullivan | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Nelson Sullivan March 15, 1948 Kershaw, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 1989 (aged 41) New York City, U.S. |
| Burial place | Kershaw City Cemetery, Kershaw, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Videographer |
| Years active | 1983–1989 |
| Website | YouTube channel Website |
John Nelson Sullivan (March 15, 1948 – July 4, 1989) was an American videographer who chronicled life in Downtown Manhattan’s arts and club scene from 1983 until his death. His hundreds of videos documented daily life in the city, nights out on the town and private moments with friends in the local entertainment community, including RuPaul, Keith Haring, Sylvia Miles, Larry Tee, Susanne Bartsch, Tom Rubnitz, Lady Bunny, Phoebe Legere, Michael Musto, Ethyl Eichelberger, John Sex, and Michael Alig.
Viewed today, Sullivan’s video record of his life represents a pre-Internet form of vlogging, while his frequently used technique of turning the camera to face himself clearly anticipates the modern selfie.
In 2012, Sullivan’s video archive was received as a donation by the Fales Library & Special Collections at New York University. Edited versions of select tapes may be viewed on the YouTube channel 5NinthAvenueProject.