'William S. Burroughs the artist' probably places second to 'William S. Burroughs the writer' in the sphere of popular culture. Yet in the sphere of influence, Burroughs's art has had immeasurable success, inspiring icons from David Bowie to Patty Smith to Kurt Cobain.
An exhibition on now at the International Centre of Graphic Arts in Ljublijana, Slovenia, focuses on the artistic side of Burroughs' oeuvre, specifically his cut-up works, precursors to postmodern collage and even digital sampling in music. 'Cut-ups, Cut-ins, Cut-outs: The Art of William S. Burroughs' uses the Beat artist's patchwork painting, photography, film and audio work to tell the story of his development in this other field.
Curators Colin Fallows, a professor at Liverpool John Moores University, and Synne Genzmer of Vienna's Kunsthalle museum have rounded up dozens of rare works from Burroughs's experimental phase. They begin in the late 1950s, shortly after Burroughs met the painter Brion Gysin, the godfather of cut-up art, at the Beat Hotel in Paris, and continue through the 1960s.
Gysin collaborated with Burroughs on his early cut-ups, splicing together fragments of text and sound to uncover a sort of freedom from conventional thinking. The original material came from Burroughs's own writings, classical authors like T.S. Eliot, Shakespeare and Kafka, popular imagery, scientific motifs and TV; when juxtaposed they conspire to create new, disconnected realities.
Tracing the progression of works from text to painting to sound offers a glimpse into the artist's complex mind and the beginnings of a revolution in art and music that continues to shape us even today.
Installation view of Burroughs' cut-up poetry.
'Untitled (p. 155)', by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, 1965.
Burroughs was known for his shotgun art, in which he used a rifle to shoot at spray paint cans in front of blank canvases to create abstract paintings.
'Untitled (p. 130)', by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, 1965.
'Untitled (p. 157)', by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, 1965.
'The Curse of Bast', by William S. Burroughs, 1987.
'45 Long Colt 5 Shots', by William S. Burroughs, 1992.
'Collage', by William S. Burroughs, 1964.
ADDRESS
International Centre of Graphic Arts
Grad Tivoli
Pod turnom 3
SI-1000 Ljubljana
-
Every new Rolex watch unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2025Our editors are on the ground at the biggest trade show in the horological calendar, where key industry players take the stage. Here, we spotlight Rolex as it reveals its new wave of watches
-
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch's Porsche photography showcases the aesthetics of speedTaschen's new edition of Rainer W. Schlegelmilch’s collected imagery from a quarter of a century spent following Porsche racing highlights historical machines, emotive camera technique and major moments on the track
-
This striking new vineyard is putting Swedish wine on the mapBerglund Arkitekter completes a new home for Kullabergs Vingård in the country's verdant Skåne country
