Photograph of Jean Genet and William S. Burroughs (1968)

England: Michael Cooper [photograph taken in Chicago, Illinois, US] (photograph), 1968.
11" x 14", GSP photograph.

A photographic print of Jean Genet and William S. Burroughs at the 1968 Democratic Convention, as taken and likely printed by British photographer Michael Cooper. This copy of the print does not carry Michael Cooper's signature or stamp, but has an interesting provenance.

William S. Burroughs went to cover the 1968 Democratic Convention, funded by Esquire magazine, and reported in the November 1968 issue, as "The Coming of the Purple Better One".  The event was marked by protests, riots, and police brutality. There is a story about Jean Genet running from tear gas and knocking on doors, only to find at one of them a fan writing his thesis on Genet. 

This specific copy was previously owned by Terry Southern, who was also present at the Democratic Convention, and has the "Terry Southern Collection" on the verso. Terry Southern was close with Michael Cooper, as noted in the Wikipedia entry on Michael Cooper:

“Cooper loaned Terry Southern a copy of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange in 1967 and they collaborated on the first film adaptation of the novel, which Cooper intended to direct, with Mick Jagger as Alex and the other members of the Rolling Stones as Alex's gang of droogs. The project was eventually shelved and Southern later recommended the book to his friend Stanley Kubrick after Kubrick's planned film on Napoleon was rejected by MGM.”

After Terry Southern died, his estate went to his son Nile. This copy was given by Nile Southern to the late Artist/Gallerist Suzan Cooper, along with several other photos, in lieu of payment for her help in organizing Terry's archive for sale to the New York Public Library.

Following Suzan Cooper's death, her estate went to her husband, the author/publisher Jeff Goldberg, from whom I purchased the copy.

Links: 

• Wikipedia: Michael Cooper (photographer)
• RealityStudio: Chicago 1968
• AllenGinsberg: Jean Genet
• TheStacksReader: Hog Wild in the Streets