Poetry Performance with John Giorno

The poetry performance with John Giorno took place in the context of the ceremonial closing of the exhibition »the name is BURROUGHS – Expanded Media« .

BY CHRISTOF KOHLHÖFER

ZKM | Museum of Contemporary Art dedicates this exhibition to the life and work of the American artist and writer William S. Burroughs (1914–1997), whose aura and charisma still continue to fascinate even fifteen years after his death. The closing program, »FINAL CUT – the name is Burroughs«, marks the end of this extraordinarily rich exhibition that ran for over four months; it allowed trusted friends and those close to William S. Burroughs to voice their thoughts and elucidate selected aspects of his activities and living situation as well as his continued influence on his public.

In his performance, John Giorno, a friend of Burroughs, reads a passage from his poem »The Death of William Burroughs«. John Giorno is a New York poet who in the beginning of the 1970s called to life the Dial-A-Poem-Poets, a call-up poetry service. After 1974, Giorno and Burroughs undertook several reading tours together. With his solo performances, Giorno fascinated audiences with his unimagined energy, precision of language, and a travelling verve. Since 2001, John Giorno has also emerged increasingly as a visual artist.