Burroughs, William S.

Tony Shafrazi Gallery Exhibition Brochure-Catalog

New York, NY: Tony Shafrazi Gallery, 1987. First Printing. Folded Card Stock. "To view these pictures puts the viewer in the position of the creative observer, who creates by observing. There is a distinct sensation when this creation occurs. One is looking at the picture, then a face, a narrow street filled with red mist, a mineshaft, an area of red huts, swim into view...here is a man pissing against a wall. Behind the wall is a slag heap. Here is a thin, frail man in a suit of powdery gray ash. One can see the surface of the work move and shift and come into focus." (from "Entrance to the Museum of Lost Species," rear panel, unpaginated) The brochure-catalog for one of the earliest solo exhibits of artworks by William S. Burroughs, held at the prestigious Tony Shafrazi Gallery in NYC during December 19, 1987 through January 24, 1988. Following the death in 1986 of artist-writer Brion Gysin, a favorite collaborator & friend, WSB took up the creation of art in earnest. During the last decade of his life, this became a parallel endeavor along with his iconic Beat-&-Beyond writings, a subset of which included the theme of his artworks & their meanings. Most of the early works reproduced here employed one of WSB's most (in)famous interests- shooting, combined with paint, collage or by itself, resulting in spontaneous creations open to different interpretations & visions. With an art-related text by WSB, edited by his chief associate (& now guardian of his legacy) James Grauerholz, entitled "Entrance to the Museum of Lost Species" (quoted above). As noted, the exhibition was organized by the late Diego Cortez (1946-2021), & photographs of the artworks were taken by Ivan Dalla Tana. With contemporary image of frontier-dapper WSB with his shotgun in front of his home in Lawrence, Kansas dated September 14, 1987 taken by Kate Simon on front panel. Heavy card stock folded into five panels printed on both sides, with ten pages including covers. Shoaf, Section II, No. 226, pg. 96; Schottlaender, B6 (A), pg. 25. From the collection of Brian Schottlaender, our good friend & author of "Anything But Routine," the most complete & up-to-date WSB bibliography which we always consult for all our WSB rarities, as above. A very scarce piece of WSB ephemera which brings together his later, exemplary art & writing, with distinguished provenance. In very fine condition with only a bit of rubbing to front & rear cover panels; a few tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same & some other panels. Very Fine. [Item #4585]

Price: $80.00