Ralph Pomeroy (poet)
Encyclopedia
Ralph Pomeroy was an American poet.
, and raised in Winnetka, Illinois
. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois
. At eighteen he had already published poems in "Poetry", which was one of the leading poetry magazines in America at the time. He pursued painting in Paris
, France
, in the 1940s, and then worked as an editor, art critic, curator and exhibiting artist in New York City
. In the 1950s he was active in San Francisco's poetry scene, although he was not a Beat
poet. The New York Times published his poetry on five separate occasions in 1968 and 1969. He taught at the Academy of Art University
in San Francisco in the late 1980s and '90s.
Many years later, he was stabbed in the chest by a "fag basher", and also suffered a broken wrist while engaged in what a friend described as "S&M games with a trick."
Pomeroy died of cirrhosis of the liver in San Francisco in the fall of 1999.
entitled "A La Recherche du Shoe Perdu". One of his books was about painter Theodoros Stamos
. His friend, Edward Field, discusses his life in his book: The Man Who Would Marry Susan Sontag
and Other Intimate Portraits of the Bohemian
Era (2007, University of Wisconsin Press
) In an article for the "The Gay & Lesbian Review," (July-August, 2005, Volume 11 Issue 4), Field notes that the openly gay Pomeroy was accepted by Yaddo
1955, "where he scandalized the sedate arts colony by having an open affair with painter Clifford Wright."
Biography
Born in Evanston, IllinoisEvanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, and raised in Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. At eighteen he had already published poems in "Poetry", which was one of the leading poetry magazines in America at the time. He pursued painting in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in the 1940s, and then worked as an editor, art critic, curator and exhibiting artist in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the 1950s he was active in San Francisco's poetry scene, although he was not a Beat
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...
poet. The New York Times published his poetry on five separate occasions in 1968 and 1969. He taught at the Academy of Art University
Academy of Art University
The Academy of Art University , a for-profit university owned by the Stephens Institute, was founded in San Francisco, California in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens...
in San Francisco in the late 1980s and '90s.
Many years later, he was stabbed in the chest by a "fag basher", and also suffered a broken wrist while engaged in what a friend described as "S&M games with a trick."
Pomeroy died of cirrhosis of the liver in San Francisco in the fall of 1999.
Writing career
Throughout his writing career he published essays, monographs, catalogs, three poetry collections and an illustrated book of poems with Andy WarholAndy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
entitled "A La Recherche du Shoe Perdu". One of his books was about painter Theodoros Stamos
Theodoros Stamos
Theodoros Stamos , was a Greek American artist. He is one of the youngest painters of the original group of abstract expressionist painters , which included Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko...
. His friend, Edward Field, discusses his life in his book: The Man Who Would Marry Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag was an American author, literary theorist, feminist and political activist whose works include On Photography and Against Interpretation.-Life:...
and Other Intimate Portraits of the Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
Era (2007, University of Wisconsin Press
University of Wisconsin Press
The University of Wisconsin Press is a non-profit university press publishing peer-reviewed books and journals. It primarily publishes work by scholars from the global academic community but also serves the citizens of Wisconsin by publishing important books about Wisconsin, the Upper Midwest, and...
) In an article for the "The Gay & Lesbian Review," (July-August, 2005, Volume 11 Issue 4), Field notes that the openly gay Pomeroy was accepted by Yaddo
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
1955, "where he scandalized the sedate arts colony by having an open affair with painter Clifford Wright."