Charles Bukowski’s Widow Prevents Him From Appearing on Beatnik Mural

“Beatnik Alley” mural in Hermosa Beach, CA.

A giant mural was unveiled in Hermosa Beach, California, on October 23, on the side of bar and grill Watermans, celebrating the area’s jazz and literary cultural history. It almost included an image of Charles Bukowski, but the artist, Timothy Robert Smith, was unable to get permission from his widow, Linda Lee Bukowski, who didn’t like the picture selected to represent her husband, according to Easy Reader.

She still lives in San Pedro, a half an hour drive from Hermosa Beach, which is close to where Bukowski gave his last reading, in Redondo Beach, in April 1980.

Smith's mural "Beatnik Alley" merges three landmarks in the city's history—the Insomniac coffeehouse, Either/Or Bookstore and the Lighthouse jazz club—into "one mythical place."#BeatGen #beatgeneration https://t.co/KIlSKSqI3N

— Beatgrrrl 𒀭 🇵🇸 (@Beatgrrrl) October 18, 2019

There is an ongoing debate over whether Bukowski should be considered a beat in the first place, as he was not directly connected with the beats, outside of having met a couple of them in passing, and in fact often disregarded them as individuals and artists, with the exception of Neal Cassady, whom he met towards the end of the man’s life and to whom he took to quickly. While he wrote at the same time, and often of similar subject matter, he always saw himself more as a lone entity than a part of any group or movement.

In addition to Bukowski being a notable absence, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg are also not included, the Daily Breeze reports. Kerouac was not included for a lack of connection to the area.

My Ukulele music at the Hermosa Beach Murals Project the unveiling of mural #9, Beatnik Alley. Joining me on guitar, Reid Haessely. pic.twitter.com/G81vBWh00Q

— Jack Tracy (@Jacktracy55) October 24, 2019

Ginsberg was initially included, with an image of the poet reading his famous poem “Howl,” but was removed following complaints about his support of the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), which sought to overturn age of consent laws. While Ginsberg claimed he joined “in defense of free speech,” there are questions as to whether that was the only reason he found himself involved with the organization. He was replaced on the mural by musician Ramblin’ Jack Elliott.

In addition to Elliot, the mural features musicians Dizzy Gillespie, Linda Ronstadt, Miles Davis, and Howard Rumsey, as well as jazz booker Gloria Cadena. Author Leonard Wibberley is also present, along with Bob Hare, the founder of Insomniac coffeehouse.

The beatnik mural is the ninth of ten planned as a privately-funded venture set to come to a conclusion next year. The other murals in the series which have already gone up include: “Beautiful Hermosa Beach, Pier Avenue Circa 1924,” by Art Mortimer, “Hermosa ‘Splash’ Circa 1909,” by Chris Coakley, “West Coast Jazz,” by John Pugh, “Hermosa Swimwear Evolves,” by Steve Shriver, “Hermosa’s Great Wave,” by John Van Hamersveld, “Volleyball in Hermosa,” by Bo Bridges, “Lifeguards in Hermosa (before 1935),” by Joanna Garel, and “Punk and Skate in Hermosa -70’s & 80’s,” by Daniel Inez.

Updated on August 19, 2021 to include Bukowski’s widow not liking the image selected to represent him.

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