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Throughout William S. Burroughs, a showcase of the writer’s paintings at October Gallery in London, the theme of death recurred, particularly in works like Burn Unit, X-Ray Man, and Crazy Man, which featured ghostly, cadaverous figures. These haunting images of skulls and exoskeletons invite the viewer to consider William Burroughs’ own life and mortal struggles, particularly his battle with addiction. The figures in these paintings seem to represent Burroughs’ perception of himself—an image of a man, not quite alive, but never fully gone—el hombre invisible. 

Burroughs began painting at the age of 70, following the death of his close friend, artist Brion Gysin. The two men were integral to the development of the Cut-up technique—a method of creating new meaning by rearranging text or images—that found cultural relevance in the 1960s and 70s, most famously in David Bowie’s 1974 album, Diamond Dogs, composed almost entirely of lyrics written in cut-up. Of the near-dozen paintings on display, three are from his Shotgun Series, a group of paintings he dubbed “shotgun art,” or collages, canvases, and found objects including spray-painted materials that he shot at with a shotgun to create abstract works. The act of destruction is quintessential Burroughs. Brion’s Birthday depicts a skeletal outline of a figure, riddled with bullet holes. It is as though Burroughs is confronting his own mortality and grief of his friend’s death through the violent act of shooting his own creation.

For those unfamiliar with Burroughs' work, one of the most compelling elements of the exhibition is a live recording of Burroughs reading his work at the Caravan of Dreams, a performing arts centre in Texas. The recording gives listeners a glimpse into Burroughs' sense of humour and irony, as he reads his grotesque and darkly comic writing with wry detachment. While Burroughs’ paintings may never offer anything particularly astounding, they offer a glimpse into the prismatic mind of one of the 20th century’s most influential cultural figures—criminal, junkie, romantic, visionary.