Tom Rubnitz

Thomas Block Rubnitz (April 2, 1956 – August 12, 1992) was an American video artist most often associated with the New York City East Village drag queen scene of the late 1980s. His video tapes were mainly inspired by pop culture and Las Vegas-style shows. A number of his works featured RuPaul and members of The B-52s. He also worked closely with East Village-associated artists like Club 57 founder Ann Magnuson, David Wojnarowicz, Lady Bunny, Hapi Phace, and John Sex.[1]

Tom Rubnitz
Sister Dimension in "Strawberry Shortcut"
Born
Thomas Block Rubnitz

(1956-04-02)April 2, 1956
Chicago, Illinois, U.S
DiedAugust 12, 1992(1992-08-12) (aged 36)
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S
NationalityAmerican

Rubnitz's other works include "Strawberry Shortcut" and "Pickle Surprise".

Rubnitz worked with The B-52s in 1987 to produce a "public service announcement" for the Art Against AIDS organization's "Summer of Love" project, which visually referenced the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles in tableau vivant form, featured the B-52s, Willi Ninja, Allen Ginsberg, Nam Jun Paik, Quentin Crisp, Lady Bunny, David Byrne, and others.[2]

In 1989, Rubnitz released the song and video "Love Is the Message" under his own name. The song sampled Danny Krivit's edit of MFSB's instrumental "Love Is the Message."

Personal life

Rubnitz was born in Chicago and lived in Manhattan. He was openly gay.[3] He died at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of an AIDS-related illness in August 1992 at the age of 36.

References
  1. "Tom Rubnitz, 1956–1992". Visual AIDS. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  2. Dangerous Minds.net, "Art Against AIDS: The B-52s and Friends" (Feb 23, 2012)
  3. https://shortfilms.org.uk/lsff2020/events/2020-01-18-hustle-with-my-muscle-the-short-films-of-tom-rubnitz


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