WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS

(American, 1914-1997)

&

STEVEN LOWE

(American, 1947-2007)

ACTION ABSTRACT

Acrylic on Canvas

Diptych, 72 x 96 inches

Each Panel: 72 x 48 Inches

Signed Lower Right "William S. Burroughs" and Dated "1993"

Signed Lower Left "Steven Lowe"

Titled Lower Center "Exterminator II"

 

A monumental, action-abstract diptych comprising energetic, dimensional swirls of parchment and ivory contrasted against a rich dark-chestnut ground. Completed with Burroughs' long-time collaborator, Steven Lowe, this painting shows an intuitive balancing of the fevered energy that characterized Burroughs' literary and artistic life. This is the largest recorded work by the artist.

 

An icon of twentieth-century counterculture, William Burroughs was the seminal, postmodern author of 'The Naked Lunch' and a leading light of the Beat Generation. He is widely considered "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th century." (Junkie, Penguin Modern Classics, 2003).

 

The painting is accompanied by a first edition volume of 'Paper Cloud, Thick Pages' by William Burroughs, (introduction by Steven Lowe, 1993, ArT Random and Kyoto Shoin, Japan) and a copy of 'exterminator!' by William S. Burroughs which uses a detail of this work as the cover-art.