During his lifetime Brion Gysin (1916–1986) inspired an array of artists, writers, poets and musicians, notably the Beat Generation. Since his death Gysin's own work has only increased in popularity, yet his radical approach to art defies categorization. Dream Machine is the first detailed study of Gysin's œuvre in both art-historical and contemporary contexts. A devotee of invention, Gysin created paintings, drawings, photo-collages, installations, poetry and sound experiments. He produced the cut-up collage novel The Third Mind (1965) with William Burroughs, and with Ian Sommerville developed the Dreamachine (1961), a kinetic sculpture designed to induce visions by playing flickering light on the closed eyes of the viewer. This exciting new book, featuring incisive texts, a photo essay, and appreciations by contemporary artists, captures the remarkable daring of an artistic visionary.
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A must have for scholars and fans, literati and arterati, the converted and the curious alike
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About the Author
Gerard Audinet is Chief Curator at the Musee d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris. John Geiger is the author of Nothing is True - Everything is Permitted: The Life of Brion Gysin (2005). James Grauerholz was a long-time friend and editor of William Burroughs. Laura Hoptman is Kraus Family Senior Curator at the New Museum, New York.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Not as well known among the "casual-interest" art crowd, Brion Gysin is extremely important to contemporary art. He inspired artists, poets and musicians, and his work - which is diverse, radical and defies categorization - includes paintings, drawings, photo-collages, installations, poetry and sound experiments. It's detailed for the first time in this book, which is a great introduction to the artist- at least it was for me.
The volume offers an up-close look at Gysin's works, through both a historical and contemporary eye, with special attention placed on his inventions. Of special note are a cut-up collage novel, The Third Mind (1965) that he created with William Burroughs, and the Dreamachine he made with Ian Sommerville. The latter, created in 1961, is a kinetic sculpture designed to induce visions by playing flickering light on the closed eyes of the viewer, and something I found to be fascinating. There are excellent illustrations of his works throughout, but perhaps as exciting is the text, photo essays and comments from contemporary artists, which capture and portray a remarkable man who many describe as an "artistic visionary."
The volume offers an up-close look at Gysin's works, through both a historical and contemporary eye, with special attention placed on his inventions. Of special note are a cut-up collage novel, The Third Mind (1965) that he created with William Burroughs, and the Dreamachine he made with Ian Sommerville. The latter, created in 1961, is a kinetic sculpture designed to induce visions by playing flickering light on the closed eyes of the viewer, and something I found to be fascinating. There are excellent illustrations of his works throughout, but perhaps as exciting is the text, photo essays and comments from contemporary artists, which capture and portray a remarkable man who many describe as an "artistic visionary."
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a book for Gysin completists or those who know nothing about him (most people). A lot of the textual information on Gysin in this book is a repeat of all the info that exists in his fairly recent biography and in "Tuning into the Multimedia Age." One highlight are the reproductions of several paintings that aren't in the latter book, as well as candid fotos of him and Burroughs & performance fotos of Gysin. A third of the book is taken up by works from people inspired by Gysin (P'orridge, George Condo...)--more like filler, unfortunately. STILL...this is a great book because it is about a GREAT artist.
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