Friday’s Weekly Round-Up – 387

1 week ago October 12, 2018Simon Pettet

[Allen Ginsberg – Poetry Center reading of “Howl”, San Francisco, November, 1955 –  © Walter Lehrman and the Walter Lehrman Beat Generation Photo Collection at the Merrill-Cazier Library at Utah State University, Logan, Utah]

A little anniversary slipped by last Sunday – October 7th – the legendary first (public) reading of “Howl” – “6 Poets at 6 Gallery” –

Ariel Kates remembers it  (in “Off The Grid” – the blog for the Greenwich Village Society For Historical Preservation). We’d also draw your attention to Simon Watts’ report (with testimony by Michael McClure) on the BBC’s World Service  (first … Read More

Friday’s Weekly Round-Up – 382

September 7, 2018Simon Pettet

[Allen Ginsberg]

[Gordon Ball]

Gordon Ball (whose iconic photograph of Virginia military academy students in a classroom reading Howl we featured, here on The Allen Ginsberg Project, a few weeks back), is a photographer, filmmaker, author, and the accomplished editor of several volumes of Allen’s journals, (notably Journals – Early ‘Fifties, Early ‘Sixties, and Journals – Mid Fifties 1954-1958, as well as the earlier (1975) Pulitzer-Prize-nominated Allen Verbatim: Lectures on Poetry, Politics, Consciousness.)

He is also, more recently, (2012),  author of  East Hill Farm – Seasons with Allen Ginsberg, a unique and wonderful memoir of his time … Read More

Raymond Foye on Allen Ginsberg’s Photography

July 30, 2018Simon Pettet

[Raymond Foye – Photograph by Allen Ginsberg]

John Shoesmith interviews Raymond Foye on Allen Ginsberg’s photography

JS: You knew Allen before you started working with the photographs. How did your role with the photos begin?

RF: I met Allen in 1973 when I was sixteen, and a junior at Lowell High School. I went with the senior English honors class to a Kerouac symposium held at Salem State College, in Massachusetts. My English teacher, a lovely woman named Rita Sullivan, allowed me to go with the senior class, even though I was a junior, because she knew I was reading … Read More

Stonewall Anniversary

June 28, 2018Simon Pettet

[Stonewall Inn, 1969. Photo: Fred W McDarrah (c) the Estate of Fred W McDarrah. All rights reserved]

A key anniversary today – the anniversary of Stonewall.

In 1994 the Village Voice ran a special section, “Stonewall 25,” and Allen Ginsberg was among those who contributed. His contribution (excerpted from the introduction to Gay Pride – Photographs From Stonewall to Today by Fred W and Timothy McDarrah, soon to be reissued by Or Books, in preparation for “Stonewall 50”) ran as follows:

Think of the historic importance of coming out of the closet! Stonewall’s cry echoed round the world!… Read More

July 4th

July 4, 2017Simon Pettet

[Allen Ginsberg on Central Park Bandstand, 5th Avenue Peace Demonstration to Stop The War in Vietnam. 1966 -Photograph by Fred W McDarrah c. the Estate of Fred W McDarrah and Getty Images]

The iconic image by the great Fred W. McDarrah of Allen in his “Uncle Sam” hat greets us this July 4th. From the Sotheby’s catalog of Allen’s possessions: “Ginsberg did not save the original hat that he wore in the [McDarrah] photo but he received several hats as gifts after the famous photo debuted” like this one that he placed on the head of his teacher, Gelek Rimpoche… Read More

Corso (& Whitman)

March 26, 2017Simon Pettet

[Gregory Corso, 1993]

More Beat photo portfolios. Today, March 26, would have been the 87th birthday of the rambunctious Gregory Corso.

[Gregory Corso, New York City, 1953 – Photography by Allen Ginsberg]

[Gregory Corso at the Beat Hotel, Paris, 1958 – Photograph by Harold Chapman]

[Gregory Corso, making a call in the White Horse Tavern, New York City, February 1959 –  Fred W. McDarrah – Photo Courtesy Estate of Fred W, McDarrah]

[Gregory Corso in front of the Parthenon, Athens, 1959. Photograph by James Burke]

[Gregory Corso, Tangier, July 1961. Photograph by Allen Ginsberg]

[Gregory Corso at the Royal Albert … Read More

Jan I 2016 Happy New Year!

January 1, 2016admin

[Allen Ginsberg, December 31, 1958, at the Artist’s Club’s New Years Eve Party, New York City, December 31, 1958, – Photo © 2016 Estate of Fred W. McDarrah]

“Allen Ginsberg Howling At A New Years Party” – from Beat Generation Glory Days in Greenwich Village – by Fred W McDarrah and Gloria S McDarrah. Photograph by Fred W McDarrah © The Estate of Fred W, McDarrah

– Happy New Year Everybody!… Read More

Allen Ginsberg’s Uncle Sam Hat

July 4, 2015admin

[Allen Ginsberg on Central Park Bandstand, 5th Avenue Peace Demonstration to Stop The War in Vietnam. 1966 -Photograph by Fred W McDarrah  c. the Estate of Fred W McDarrah and Getty Images]

Fred W McDarrah‘s iconic shot of Allen wearing his Uncle Sam hat – (an image that became transformed into a poster, that, at one time, in the ‘Sixties, was ubiquitous, hanging on seemingly every student’s bedroom or dormitory wall). He (Allen) tells the story (of the events of that day, March 26, 1966)  in the recently re-published National Security Archives interview: “I remember specifically one time, … Read More