Music performance by the BAULS OF BENGAL in honour of Mimlu’s book <em>The Honey Gatherers, telling the story of the Bauls</em>, 2010.A performance by <strong>GENESIS BREYER P-ORRIDGE</strong>, 2015.
Photo: J. Greet.Greg Dugan, Virtual/Actor, Theater of All Possibilities, at the 25th Year Anniversary of October Gallery, 2004.
 
 

October Gallery Events

There are no forthcoming events on line at this time. Check back soon







 

Past Events



CELEBRATE THE FINAL EXHIBITION DAY OF WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
Saturday, April 5
Exhibition 12.30 – 6.30 pm
Paid bar in the Gallery 3.00 – 6.00 pm
Free entry, drop-in
Join October Gallery in marking the final day of the art of William S. Burroughs with extended opening hours and a celebratory gathering. The exhibition features rarely seen works from spray paint, ink and acrylic to markers and gunshots. More about the exhibition here

At 3 pm, the panel discussion What’s Left of a Radical Vision When It’s All Come True? will take place upstairs in the Theatre (Sign up for the waiting list). Following the discussion, The Cat Inside (2007), a soundscape by Ramuntcho Matta, will be played in the Gallery along with Matta’s film of the seminal Electronic Revolution, describing the concept and method of Burroughs and Brion Gysin’s genre-defining literary multimedia experiments.

Visitors can also browse a selection of books and catalogues by Burroughs and those who were closely connected to him. Books and catalogue selection
WHAT’S LEFT OF A RADICAL VISION WHEN IT’S ALL COME TRUE?
A discussion on how to maintain legacies of queer and radical vision, on the occasion of an exhibition by William S. Burroughs.
Panellists: Ira Silverberg, Andrew Durbin, Neil Bartlett OBE and Kathelin Gray
Saturday, 5th April, 2025
3 pm – 4.30 pm
Theatre (2nd floor)
Free entry (booking essential)
A discussion on how do we maintain legacies of queer and radical vision, on the occasion of an exhibition by William S. Burroughs. Panelists: Ira SilverbergAndrew DurbinNeil Bartlett, OBEKathelin Gray.

William S. Burroughs was a seer. Using new forms of writing for his visionary social satire, Naked Lunch, he altered the course of letters, foresaw the future of the planet and its inhabitants, and was censored in the U.S. upon publication in 1959. In a career that spanned more than fifty years, he continually broke boundaries, and moved into new forms including painting, film, musical collaborations, and acting. Burroughs and his work retain an ongoing influence nearly thirty years after his death. How do legacies of queer and outsider artists help navigate the daunting challenges and opportunities of the present moment?

The event is fully booked — sign up for the waiting list
Film Screening:
Queer
Friday, 4 April
5.00 pm Paid bar and specially curated queer soundscape in the Gallery
(free drop-in until 6.30 pm)

7.00 pm Film Screening (2h 16min)
Location: Theatre (2nd floor)*
Entry

Ahead of this special screening of Queer, visitors are invited to explore the exhibition. Immerse yourself in the world of William S. Burroughs from 5 pm accompanied by a curated playlist, a paid bar and the chance to browse Queer, the novel that inspired the film. Doors to the screening will open at 6.30 pm.

Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a 2024 adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ book of the same title starring Daniel Craig.

In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a "meaningful connection with someone."

Originally penned in 1952, Burroughs’ novel remains an iconic love story in LGBTQ literature and was unpublished until 1985.
Film Screening:
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within
Followed by a Q&A with Yony Leyser
Saturday, March 29, 2 – 5 pm
£8 (+ booking fee)
This award winning documentary, William S. Burroughs: A Man Within, features exclusive interviews with his closest friends and colleagues. Leyser released the film at the age of 24. A Man Within is an unflinching exploration of one of the world’s first openly queer poets, junkies and challengers of censorship. Variety Magazine wrote “Like his subject, Leyser strives to disengage from the conventional, while still being lucid. He succeeds admirably.” It screened on over 15 TV stations around the world as well as on Netflix. A Q&A with the director, Yony Leyser, will take place after the film screening, (duration 87 minutes. Doors open at 2:00 pm and the film starts at 2:30 pm.

A bar will be open for paid refreshments in the Theatre from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

This event will take place in the Theatre on the second floor and has no disabled access.

 

ACCESSIBILITY

DISABLED ACCESS IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE GROUND FLOOR
The Theatre and Clubroom are located on the second floor.

There are two steps at the main entrance, each has a rise of 160mm and a 310mm tread (no handrail). The main entrance push door is 750mm wide.
Assisted or ramp access at the Gallery’s main entrance is available upon request.

Chairs can be found in the Gallery space.
The refectory is fully accessible by wheelchair.
Access to the courtyard has a 100mm ramp down coming from the corridor door.
There is also an accessible toilet in the Courtyard.

October Gallery is a Grade II listed building and therefore has no lift access to rooms above the ground floor. This includes the Theatre, the Clubroom and the first floor.

We welcome all visitors and will do our best to accommodate specific needs. Please do let us know in advance if there is anything in particular, we can help with. Call + 44 (0)20 7242 7367 or email gallery@octobergallery.co.uk preferably a day in advance.