IU will celebrate the life of author, essayist and painter William S. Burroughs this February during a special five-day festival entitled “The Burroughs Century.”
Burroughs, who died from complications of a heart attack in 1997, would have turned 100-years-old on Feb. 5, the first day of the festival.
“His ideas, the concerns he expressed in his work are still completely valid today,” event co-organizer Charles Cannon said of Burroughs in a press release. “His work has not aged.”
An important member of the Beat Generation, Burroughs is well-known for his 1959 novel “Naked Lunch,” which was named one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 by Time magazine.
As part of the festival, several of Burroughs’ paintings will be on display at the Grunwald Gallery of Art from Jan. 24 through Feb. 5. Another exhibit, featuring first editions of “Naked Lunch” and Burroughs’ 1953 novel “Junkie,” opens Jan. 27 at the Lilly Library.
“Burroughs was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century,” event co-organizer Joan Hawkins said in a press release. “He speaks with an authentic American voice like no other writer I can think of.”
A full list of “The Burroughs Century” events can be found at burroughscentury.org.
— Rachel Osman
Five-day festival to celebrate renowned painter, essayist
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