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Cavendish Hotel Collage by William S. Burroughs

A series of three exhibitions “examining how photography informed and inspired the practices of three key 20th century American cultural figures” has opened at The Photographers’ Gallery showing “a relatively unseen body of work for the first time in the UK” and offering “new insights and interesting parallels into their creative approaches.” The key cultural trio? Burroughs, Lynch and Warhol.

Yep: William S. Burroughs, David Lynch and Andy Warhol, three All-American weirdoes as idiosyncratic and out-there as they come. Celebrated for their singularity as much as or more as they are for the calibre and sheer volume of work achieved in their lifetimes (of course, Lynch is still very much alive and prolific), these three artists might not be the first grouping you’d come up with for a gallery show, especially one of photography. But I reckon a quote by Warhol begins to sum up the merits of this grouping:

I told them I didn’t believe in art, that I believed in photography.

Think about how much of what Warhol famously produced which started out as “just a photograph”. The same is hugely true for Lynch and to a fairly large extent for Burroughs as well.

Cool thing is, each of the three shows stands strong on its own without overlapping or relying on the other for any support. Put plainly, this triumvirate of provocative American pop provides three times the reasons to visit this fine Soho gallery. I loved scampering through the three exhibitions. Maybe I liked the Warhol exhibition a bit more than the other two. Comprised mostly of street photography (a lot of it sneeringly scathing), a considerably less guarded side to Warhol’s creativity was revealed.

Rather than blather on about why you should check out these shows, here’s some press release blurbage about the three exhibitions.

Taking Shots: The Photography of William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) was an influential American novelist, essayist and artist, and a cult icon. Coinciding with the centenary of Burroughs’ birth, Taking shotswill be the first major exhibition worldwide to focus on his large photographic oeuvre. Showing a diverse mix of thematically organised works, the exhibition will highlight Burroughs’ dynamic approach to image making. The exhibition is curated by Patricia Allmer and John Sears. A book will accompany the exhibition co-published by The Photographers’ Gallery and Prestel.

David Lynch: The Factory Photographs
In this series of photographs David Lynch extends his unique cinematic style to dark and brooding images of derelict factories. The exhibition will feature black and white photographs shot in various locations including Germany, Poland, New York and England. The images depict the labyrinthine passages, detritus and decay of these manmade structures – monuments of a bygone industrial era slowly being taken over by nature. The exhibition will also include sound works created by the artist. This will be the first European showcasing of this series.  The exhibition is curated by Dr Petra Giloy-Hirtz, a curator and author based in Munich.

Andy Warhol: Photographs 1976 – 1987
This will be the first major UK survey of Andy Warhol’s (1928 – 1987) extensive but little known 8 x 10″ photographs. Photographs 1976 – 1987 will feature over fifty vintage black and white prints alongside a small number of Warhol’s Stitched Works.   The works in the exhibition will provide an insight into Warhol’s visual daily life; people in the streets, parties, uninhabited interiors, cityscapes and signage. As with his canvases, formal aspects and patterns in subject matter emerge, showing photography to be at the centre of Warhol’s thinking, looking and making.

The Photographers’ Gallery is located at 16-18 Ramillies Street, W1F 7LW. The Burroughs, Lynch and Warhol exhibitions run until 30 March. Tickets cost £4 (£2 concessions) and grant admission to all three exhibitions. Admission is free Monday from 10am to 6pm and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm. Find out more at thephotographersgallery.org.uk.

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