This Friday, August 28 kicks off an exhibition of rarely seen artwork by legendary Beat writer William S. Burroughs at Th!nk Art Salon (1530 N. Paulina), as Chicago joins the worldwide celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece Naked Lunch. The exhibition runs through September 15, and Friday's launch party is to my mind the "must attend" cultural event of the year. A benefit in support of post-production for the documentary William S. Burroughs: A Man Within (trailer here), the night will be hosted by its narrator Peter Weller, beloved to both Burroughs and David Cronenberg fans as "Bill Lee" in the latter's filmic adaptation of Lunch.
Also in attendance will be a veritable "who's-who" of Beat scholarship and friends, collaborators, and contemporaries of Burroughs including legendary poets Anne Waldman and John Giorno, Warhol superstar Penny Arcade, longtime manager and estate executioner James Grauerholz, and the indefatigable Hal Willner, the mastermind behind the essential albums Dead City Radio and Spare Ass Annie, which married Burroughs' spoken word to musical backing from musicians ranging from John Cale to Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Donald Fagen to Sonic Youth (who also score Man Within).
Tickets for the opening are $75 at the door or $60 in advance at the website of the Chicago International Music and Movies Festival, co-sponsor of the event along with BulletProof Film and Stop Smiling magazine, who will be hosting an after party for $10 (free for opening ticket-holders) at 1371 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Available from Facets:
Naked Lunch (buy) (rent)
William Burroughs: The Final Academy Documents (buy) (rent)
The Junky's Christmas (buy) (rent)
Burroughs (rent)
-Dan Mucha
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