Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, December 2, 1987
9
Burroughs continues experiments in creativity
William S. Burroughs will have his new book, "The Western Lands," released Dec. 14
By JENNIFER ROWLAND Staff writer
Staff writer
To some, William S. Burroughs represents a trouble-filled search for creativity in the almost-mythic beat era of the past.
"I can't paint, you see," he said recently. "I can't draw a chair."
But to the 73-year-old Burroughs, the search for creativity is still going on. Right now, that search involves exploding cans of paint.
"I have no idea what the painting is going to look like until I see it," he said.
What he does is explode cans of paint over plywood surfaces. The technique is called shotgun painting, and he began doing it in 1982, when he was living just outside Lawrence. He also does free association painting.
He has thought seriously about painting only in the last year or so, he said. But, beginning Dec. 19, he will have a one-man art show in the Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York. For a piece called "Fire Door," a central part of the show, he spray painted it with acrylic and then fire while the paint was still wet, Burroughs said. Another show will open in April in Modena, Italy.
Through his painting, Burroughs wants viewers to create their own message.
"Who's there? What's there? Look," he said. "I call it creative observation. You create by observing."
Burroughs, the author of 17 novels, said much the same thing about his writing.
"I don't go for messages at all," he said. "You don't think of the message or the viewer at the time you are creating. You just think of doing the job that you can at what you're doing."
Burroughs, an author who emerged from the beat movement of the 1950s and a close friend of poet Allen Ginsberg and the late author Jack Kerouac, lives in Lawrence with his five cats. He considers herself to be a kind of charities he contributes to are animal shelters which do not kill animals and a fund set up to stop the killing of seals, he said.
He has made his career writing autobiographical novels about his 15-year battle with drug use. Some of his novels include "The Naked Lunch," "The Wild Boys" and "Nova Express."
burroughs' latest novel, "The Western Lands," is due for release Dec. 14 and is the end of the trilogy that began with "Cities of the Red Night" and "The Place of Dead Roads."
"No one is ever satisfied with his accomplishments," Burroughs said. "He couldn't be. No writers attempt
the impossible."
His latest book could be compared to a latter day "Pilgrims Progress," a book by John Bunyan, which described an imaginary journey through the land of the dead and a hell, purgatory and paradise, Burroughs said.
James Grauerholz, Burroughs' personal secretary, said two works that. Burroughs planned to release soon were "The Ghost Lemurs of Madagascar," a novella in progress, and "Interzone," a collection of unpublished material, which included an early draft of "Nakei Lunch" that differed from the released version.
Burroughs said that he also has notes for a future book on Jesus Christ — "who he was — what he intended — who sent him." He said the book wasn't written from a Christian perspective, nor necessarily from an anti-Christian perspective.
Although he has written 17 novels, Burroughs said he still had a bank of experiences to draw from.
"There's always plenty to write about," he said. "There's also the possibility of reaching the limitation of beds in a medium. That's why I'm painting."
Paul Stephan Lim, University of Kansas lecturer in English and a playwright, has adapted Burroughs' novel "Queer" for the stage. The adaptation played in May to a sold-out crowd at the Lawrence Community Theatre.
Lim said, "I've come to really admire him, because it's not too many people who are age 73 who keep an open mind.
Burroughs said he enjoyed recognition from readers.
"Generally these are the people who read my books, for heaven's sake," he said. "I remember a cab driver who told by and said 'Hill Burroughs.'"
Jack Gardner, Lincoln, Neb., graduate student, considers Burroughs one of his favorite authors.
"Within a certain group he's his famous," Gardner said. "I saw him once at Dillon's. To see someone famous unexpectedly is a shock. It’s an odd feeling, but then you realize they're like everyone else."
Lim said he first heard of Burroughs in the 1960s when he was in high school in the Philippines, and found the autobiographical renegade image Burroughs used in his works appealing.
The drug-oriented world is so completely alien to me that I have a fascination reading about it," he said.
Lim said that he thought Burroughs had several types of readers. "There are the English department-
types who recognize his importance in the history of contemporary American literature," he said. "Then there are the ex-druggles who see him as a kind of savior because if he could rid himself of the habit — they see him as a kind of role model."
"And then there are some people, whom I think mistakenly, who are still on drugs, who see him as their hero — who don't get the ultimate message that the drugs kill." Lim said. He sees him in celebration of the drug life, ironically.
"There's also that group like me in my old high school days who just are not familiar with the world he talks about and have a fascination about the world unknown." he said.
Burroughs characterizes his work as being well out of the mainstream, and he said his own popularity was more than he expected.
"After all, I'm not the Book-of-the Month Club sort of writer," he said. Nor has he had a trivial life.
In 1936, Burroughs was graduated from Harvard University, and he later studied medicine in Vienna. Eight years later, he met Ginsberg and Kerouac, and the same year became addicted to morphine.
Burroughs married Joan Vollmer in 1946, and a year later, they had a son, William S. Burroughs, Jr. But his wife was killed in 1951, when Burroughs accidentally shot her during a game of "William Tell."
"Junky" and "Queer" are novels about how Burroughs, through his character, Lee, drifted into drugs, the sheer chaos of that world and his determination to rid himself of the habit.
He overcame his drug addiction in 1959, and that year his first novel, giving an addict's perception, "The Naked Lunch," was published.
George Wedge, associate professor of English, has had Burroughs speak to his classes on Creativity, Alcohol and on Literature of Intoxication.
"I don't think audiences grow up to find authors who have not grown up themselves." Wedge said.
Wedge said an element of what sparked readers' interest in Burroughs in the 1960s was still alive and attracted readers now.
"Burroughs isn't the same as he was in the '60s any more than anything else was the same as it was in the '50s," said Mr. Wendt, not living in the "60s." Wedge said.
"He's 73 years old," he said. "I'm 13 years younger and at least at the time that I graduated from high school, the principle issues before us are that we want to have different media names, but all add up to the same problem." he said.
In the past, Burroughs has stood for such causes as fighting censorship.
Wedge said he saw Burroughs as a
critic of those who placed money, machines and material goods ahead of human life and human spirit and the arts.
"At least until we have some new crisis of proportion to the invention of the atomic bomb, I think he will continue to speak to us very forcefully." Wedge said, with a chuckle. "After that I think we need a new spokesman."
KU given computer software
AT&T donates new equipment
By MARK TILFORD Staff writer
AT&T has reached out and touched the University of Kansas for the third consecutive year.
And because of equipment awarded to KU, the University's electrical engineering and computer science departments won't have to reach out and touch their bank accounts, to the tune of $500,000.
Gifts of computers and software have been awarded to the electrical and computer engineering departments and the Telecommunications and Information Sciences Laboratory on West Campus.
"At this time, it's very difficult to get this state-of-the-art equipment," said William Bulgen, chairman of the department of computer science.
In 1985, the departments received two main-frame computers, two work stations and 20 graphics terminals. In 1986, the telecommunications department received two terminal computers, two work station computers and two graphics terminals.
This year's gift consists of enhancements on those gifts, including interconnecting software and new equipment.
"A major part is the networking capability to the various computers together," said Victor Frost, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the lab.
The linkage will allow for more joint research between the electrical engineering and computer science departments, Bulgren said.
As a side benefit, the computer science department, which this year received 50 American Telephone & Telegraph 6300-plus personal computer equipment to use them in a course titled Computer Based Information Systems.
"A lot of the course will be experience with hands-on microcomputer work," Bulgren said.
Bulgren and Frost prepared the application for the gifts KU received. The application for this year's gift was submitted in July, Bulgren said.
Bulgren said the computer science department's excellent reputation was one of the main reasons KU was chosen.
Legal Services for Students
Did you know that your student activity fee funds a law office for students? Most services are available at NO CHARGE!
- Advice on most legal matters
- Advice on most legal matters
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other services available
8:30 to 5:00 Mon. thru Friday
148 Burge Union 864-5665
Call or drop by to make an appointment.
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AUDITIONS:
December 3,1987 Call backs: December 5,1987
Individual and group acts wanted to tryout for In-Between-Acts at the Rock Chalk Revue. We are interested in everyone from singers and dancers to jugglers and comedians.
For more information & audition time, call: George Kandt 749-0186 or Jennifer Lincoln 841-4898 or the Rock Chalk Office 864-4033
Read The Kansan!!!
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Tandon wins state contract
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Lawrence, KS - Success in the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) market has prompted Tandon Corporation to enter the microcomputer market. Available at Computer Outlet (804 New Hampshire), the Tandon PC line has become increasingly popular on campus.
Since the late seventies, Tandon Corporation has been known as the leader in the microcomputer disk drive market. To maintain their position as a market leader, they have redirected their marketing and manufacturing efforts to the computer manufacturers and endusers, including the introduction of an IBM-compatible computer.
In March, the State of Kansas signed a contract with Tandon Corporation to purchase PC/AT compatible machines. The PCA is functionally equivalent to the IBM PC/AT at almost half the price.
Tandon went to the top to ensure the success of their microcomputer launch. Four IBM veterans, who were closely involved in the development and manufacturing of the IBM Personal Computer, were hired to manage the engineering and marketing divisions. This dedication to a quality product has allowed Tandon to make significant inroads into the PC marketplace.
With an 80286 microprocessor, an optional 80287 co-processor, and keyboard selectable clock speeds of 6 and 8 MHz, it offers comparable performance. The PCA was rated "operationally compatible with IBM PC/AT" by Future Computing, which is the highest compatibility rating given. The University of Kansas has
The Tandion PCA comes with 1 MB of RAM and a wide selection of hard disks for about half the price of a comparable IBM.
found that a computer with these features and benefits is definitely a good buy, especially at state contract prices.
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