Sinclair Beiles
Encyclopedia
Sinclair Beiles - was a South African beat poet
and editor for Maurice Girodias
at the Olympia Press
in Paris. He developed along with William S. Burroughs
and Brion Gysin
the cut-up technique
of writing poetry and literature.
Beiles was involved with American beat poets Allen Ginsberg
, Gregory Corso
and Brion Gysin, and Burroughs at the legendary Beat Hotel
in Paris. The photographer Harold Chapman
recorded this period in his book The Beat Hotel (Gris Banal, 1984). He co-authored Minutes to Go with Burroughs, Gysin and Corso (Two Cities Editions, 1960). Beiles helped edit Burroughs' Naked Lunch
.
He worked with the Greek artist Takis
and read his magnetic manifesto: "I am a sculpture... I would like to see all nuclear bombs on Earth turned into sculptures" in 1962 in Paris at the Iris Clert Gallery. At this event he was famously suspended in mid-air by a magnetic field from a powerful magnet in a sculpture developed by Takis. Beiles attributed his subsequent mental instability to this experience even though he insisted that Takis provide him with a helmet to protect his head from the magnetic field.
Beiles wondered through Europe, including a spell in London and settled in the Greek islands during the 1970s. He fought frequent bouts of depression, mental illness and drug addiction. He was married to the South African poet and artist Marta Procter.
In later life he returned to South Africa and was associated with the Johannesburg-based Gallery III http://www.111.co.za group of poets, writers, composers and performance artists and lived in the central and artistic district of Yeoville. He and the South African columnist and playwright Ian Fraser (see Ian Fraser (playwright)), formed a friendship which lasted many years. The poet had a burst of writing activity from 1991 to 2000, publishing a large number of poetry collections, including A South African Abroad (Lapis Press, 1991). He died in relative poverty.
A collection of writings about Sinclair Beiles called Who was Sinclair Beiles? was published by Dye Hard Press, Johannesburg in 2010, co-edited by Gary Cummiskey and Eva Kowalska.
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
and editor for Maurice Girodias
Maurice Girodias
Maurice Girodias was the founder of the Olympia Press. At one time he was the owner of his father's Obelisk Press, and spent most of his productive years in Paris.-Early life:...
at the Olympia Press
Olympia Press
Olympia Press was a Paris-based publisher, launched in 1953 by Maurice Girodias as a rebranded version of the Obelisk Press he inherited from his father Jack Kahane...
in Paris. He developed along with William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
and Brion Gysin
Brion Gysin
Brion Gysin was a painter, writer, sound poet, and performance artist born in Taplow, Buckinghamshire.He is best known for his discovery of the cut-up technique, used by his friend, the novelist William S. Burroughs...
the cut-up technique
Cut-up technique
The cut-up technique is an aleatory literary technique in which a text is cut up and rearranged to create a new text. Most commonly, cut-ups are used to offer a non-linear alternative to traditional reading and writing....
of writing poetry and literature.
Beiles was involved with American beat poets Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, Gregory Corso
Gregory Corso
Gregory Nunzio Corso was an American poet, youngest of the inner circle of Beat Generation writers...
and Brion Gysin, and Burroughs at the legendary Beat Hotel
Beat Hotel
The Beat Hotel was a small, run-down hotel of 42 rooms at 9 Rue Gît-le-Cœur in the Latin Quarter of Paris, notable chiefly as a residence for members of the Beat poetry movement of the mid-20th century -Overview:...
in Paris. The photographer Harold Chapman
Harold Chapman
Harold Stephen Chapman is a photographer noted for chronicalling the 1950s in Paris.He has produced a large body of work over many years, but his most significant period was from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s, when he lived in a backstreet Left Bank guesthouse in Paris later nicknamed ‘the...
recorded this period in his book The Beat Hotel (Gris Banal, 1984). He co-authored Minutes to Go with Burroughs, Gysin and Corso (Two Cities Editions, 1960). Beiles helped edit Burroughs' Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch is a novel by William S. Burroughs originally published in 1959. The book is structured as a series of loosely-connected vignettes. Burroughs stated that the chapters are intended to be read in any order...
.
He worked with the Greek artist Takis
Takis
Vassilakis Takis is an artist living in Greece. Adopted by France, his works can be found in many public locations in and around Paris.-Life and work:1940–1950...
and read his magnetic manifesto: "I am a sculpture... I would like to see all nuclear bombs on Earth turned into sculptures" in 1962 in Paris at the Iris Clert Gallery. At this event he was famously suspended in mid-air by a magnetic field from a powerful magnet in a sculpture developed by Takis. Beiles attributed his subsequent mental instability to this experience even though he insisted that Takis provide him with a helmet to protect his head from the magnetic field.
Beiles wondered through Europe, including a spell in London and settled in the Greek islands during the 1970s. He fought frequent bouts of depression, mental illness and drug addiction. He was married to the South African poet and artist Marta Procter.
In later life he returned to South Africa and was associated with the Johannesburg-based Gallery III http://www.111.co.za group of poets, writers, composers and performance artists and lived in the central and artistic district of Yeoville. He and the South African columnist and playwright Ian Fraser (see Ian Fraser (playwright)), formed a friendship which lasted many years. The poet had a burst of writing activity from 1991 to 2000, publishing a large number of poetry collections, including A South African Abroad (Lapis Press, 1991). He died in relative poverty.
A collection of writings about Sinclair Beiles called Who was Sinclair Beiles? was published by Dye Hard Press, Johannesburg in 2010, co-edited by Gary Cummiskey and Eva Kowalska.
Works by Sinclair Beiles
- (S. B. as) Wu Wu Ming: Houses of Joy. Olympia PressOlympia PressOlympia Press was a Paris-based publisher, launched in 1953 by Maurice Girodias as a rebranded version of the Obelisk Press he inherited from his father Jack Kahane...
, Paris,1959. - S. B., William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Gregory Corso: Minutes To Go. Two Cities Editions, Paris 1960
- Ashes of Experience. Wurm, 1969
- Deliria. Cold Turkey PressCold Turkey Press“Classic Gerard Bellaart - fine ambitious spiritmind and meticulous loving eyehappily surprised”Allen Ginsberg The Cold Turkey Press motto is CONCEDO NVLLI,with the admonition:“He who hides his madmen dies voiceless.”...
, Rotterdam 1971. Edited by Gerard Bellaart. - Tales: Poems. Gryphon Poets, 1972
- Sacred Fix'. Cold Turkey Press, Rotterdam, 1975
- Ballets, 1978
- Dowsings, 1980
- Poems Under Suspicion, Poems On Bits Of Paper (with Marta Proctor) 1982
- The Crucifixion, Two Cities, 1984
- A South African Abroad, Lapis Press, 1991
- On-Stage, Limited Editions, 1994
- Aardvark City, or Hieronymous Hotel, Limited Editions, 1994
- Khakiweeds, Limited Editions, 1995
- Deliria'. Small Spaces Press, 1995. First edition: Cold Turkey Press, Rotterdam, 1971.
- Yeoville: Poems, Nugget Press, 1996
- Sugar, Nugget Press, 1996
- Plays (Harlem King of the Negroes; My Brother Frederico; Chopin in Majorca) Nugget Press, 1996
- The Greek Plays (Electra; Punch and Judy; Genesis; Mme Sausolito) Nugget Press 1996
- 3 Plays (Picasso by Max Jacob; Suzanne Valedon; Colette) Nugget Press, 1996
- The Golden Years, Nugget Press, 1997
- Nagmaal, Nugget Press, 1997
- Bicycle Tales, Nugget Press, 1997
- Springtime at Raubenheimers, Nugget Press, 1998
- Women, Nugget Press 2000
External links
- Poetry Links: http://www.111.co.za/Archive/BeatHotel/Nu%20Beat%20pix/SBPoemsArt.htm
- Beat Hotel Tribute: http://www.111.co.za/Archive/BeatHotel/beat_hotel.htm
- Photo Of Gallery III http://www.111.co.za/Archive/ArchivePage/gallery111.JPG
- James de Villiers & Gallery III http://www.111.co.za
- Beat Bits: http://www.111.co.za/Archive/BeatHotel/beat_miscellania.htm
- Harold ChapmanHarold ChapmanHarold Stephen Chapman is a photographer noted for chronicalling the 1950s in Paris.He has produced a large body of work over many years, but his most significant period was from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s, when he lived in a backstreet Left Bank guesthouse in Paris later nicknamed ‘the...
Beat Hotel photos: http://www.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/beathotel/ - The Beat Hotel, Barry Miles, ISBN 1-903809-14-2: http://www.amazon.com/Beat-Hotel-Ginsberg-Burroughs-1958-1963/dp/080211668X
