Wikipedia entry
Introduction
Brion Gysin (19 January 1916 – 13 July 1986) was a British-Canadian painter, writer, sound poet, performance artist and inventor of experimental devices. He is best known for his use of the cut-up technique, alongside his close friend, the novelist William S. Burroughs. With the engineer Ian Sommerville he also invented the Dreamachine, a flicker device designed as an art object to be viewed with the eyes closed. It was in painting and drawing, however, that Gysin devoted his greatest efforts, creating calligraphic works inspired by cursive Japanese "grass" script and Arabic script. Burroughs later stated that "Brion Gysin was the only man I ever respected."
Wikidata
Q917570
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Getty record
Introduction
American painter and writer of English birth. As a youth he spent time in Kansas City, MO, and Edmonton, Alberta, and briefly attended school in England before studying painting at the Sorbonne in Paris (1933–5). In 1934 his drawings were to have been exhibited at the Galerie aux Quatre Chemins in Paris alongside works by Dadaists and Surrealists, but they were removed by Paul Eluard on André Breton’s orders. He later lived in New York City, Tangier, and Paris, where he spent the rest of his life. He collaborated with William S. Burroughs on books, and together they invented the 'cut-up' technique. His paintings involved a brushed calligraphic stroke, and he notably invented the 'Dreamachine' a device intended to create stroboscopic optical effects.
Nationalities
American, English, Canadian, British, French
Gender
Male
Roles
Artist, Author, Cinematographer, Writer, Poet, Media Artist, Painter, Photographer, Sculptor
Name
Brion Gysin
Ulan
500089445
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Information from Getty’s Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License

Works

8 works online

Exhibitions

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