William Tells All: The Naked Lunch

William S. Burroughs life was transformed the moment he raised his gun to play the ‘William Tell game’ with his wife, Joan Volmer. This singular ill-judged moment fuelled by alcohol destroyed so much. As Joan’s lifeless body lay sprawled on the floor, her gin glass that she held on her head seconds ago tumbled undamaged beside her. For the godfather of punk, genius wordsmith and inventor of the ‘cut up’ writing technique, this moment catapulted him into a new realm. William S. Burroughs, gay icon, experimental and psychic adventurer emerged. Not that Burroughs was not any of these previously, but he claims that this moment compelled him to commence his seminal work, The Naked Lunch. From this time, he pulled away from domesticity, fatherhood, marriage and any form of tradition he may have attempted to uphold to meet expectations. He became true to himself.

This painting depicts Burroughs’ face magnified by the gin glass as Joan places it upon her head. His eyes peer unknowingly into the future.

Original glass and mirror creation with slim black frame by Ilia Chidzey.
Strung and ready to hang. by Ilia Chidzey.

83cm x 83cm  |  10.1kg

Due to the limitations of photography and digital inaccuracy, some colours may appear slightly different in the original.