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

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 Silverberg, Andrew Durbin, Neil Bartlett, OBE, Kathelin 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

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.

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.