Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg

“Ordinary mind includes eternal perceptions. Notice what you notice. Observe what’s vivid. Catch yourself thinking. Vividness is self-selecting. And remember the future.” – Allen Ginsberg

In addition to changing the direction of American Poetry with the publication of his masterpiece HOWL Allen Ginsberg also chronicled the Beat Movement through his camera. Kerouac, Burroughs, Corso, Cassady all come alive in these touching, intimate photos.

“Each picture represents an ‘intimate communication’ between [Ginsberg] and another human being, and he strove to make each one express not only something of that exchange but the integrity of the individual before him” says curator Sarah Greenough

Organized by the National Gallery of Art and curated by Greenough the exhibit is currently on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.

Jack Kerouac wandering along East 7th street . . ., 1953. National Gallery of Art, Gift of Gary S. Davis. Copyright © 2013 The Allen Ginsberg LLC.  All rights reserved.

 

Burroughs and Kerouac

 

Neal Cassady and his love of that year…

 

For those in the Bay Area some of the special events scheduled include:

 Beat Generation Photo Hunt
Film + Video Screenings: Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder