Bill Burroughs "impersonating a detective with magnifying glass in hand ... Sherlock Holmes, or shabby Chinese detective in Saigon ... look at that stain on the suit." He took photos of sky, boys, streets, then photos of these photos, by stages drawing forth essences, re-photographing images of boy-stuff or blue sky, here collaged under glass plates on his bureau. Some cut-up photos from magazines, left. Calligraphy on Wardrobe closet Burroughs' adaptation of Brion Gysin's brushwork. Tangier Summer 1961. Bill's words above, 1988.
1961, printed later
Artist, American, 1926 - 1997
Artwork overview
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Medium
gelatin silver print
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Credit Line
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Dimensions
image: 19.69 × 27.94 cm (7 3/4 × 11 in.)
sheet: 27.94 × 35.56 cm (11 × 14 in.) -
Accession
2010.137.14
Artwork history & notes
Provenance
Allen Ginsberg Estate; Gary S. Davis, Greenwich, CT; gift to NGA, 2010.
Associated Names
Inscriptions
signed by artist, across bottom in black ink: Bill Burroughs "impersonating a detective with magnifying glass in hand ... Sherlock Holmes, / or shabby Chinese detective in Saigon ... look at that stain on the suit." He took photos of sky, / boys, streets, then photos of these photos, by stages drawing forth essences re-photographing images / of boy-stuff or blue sky, here collaged under glass plates on his bureau. Some cut-up photos / from magazines, left. Calligraphy on Wardrobe closet Burrough's adaptation of Brion Gysen's [sic]/ brushwork. Tanger [sic] Summer 1961. Bill's words above, 1988. Allen Ginsberg; on verso, by unknown hand, top left in graphite: T39; top left in graphite: #28 VE; top right: #33; center in graphite: Page 37; center right in graphite: 37; bottom center in graphite: GD-AG-392; by artist's hand, lower right in graphite: Keep for Book. / 1961 Neg #29 / #48/863; by unknown hand, bottom right in graphite: GDC-670; bottom right in graphite: 31