The Moustache: Memories of Greg Curnoe

by George Bowering

George Bowering and Greg Curnoe became friends in London, Ontario, in 1966. Bowering was a 30-year-old poet and university student and Curnoe was a 29-year-old painter who had dropped out of art school in Toronto to return to his place of birth. Their art was in its youth, their eyes and ears were wide open and their stomachs could withstand pots and pots of strong, black coffee. For 26 years they grew up parallel, inside each other’s work. Greg Curnoe was killed on his bicycle late in 1992, struck down in the middle of his bright career.

This memoir was begun in London, Ontario, on November 20, 1992.

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

George Bowering was born and brought up in the Okanagan Valley, amid sand dunes and sagebrush, but he has lived in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta — great sources of hockey stars. Along the way he has stopped to write several books on baseball. He has also picked up Governor General’s Awards for his poetry and fiction, and otherwise been rewarded with prizes for his books, except in his home province of British Columbia. His earlier ECW book, His Life, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for 2000. He lives in Vancouver.

Reviews

[Kevin Stebner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reread, and I enjoyed it just as much. Another in the line of "I Remember" works (first Brainard, then Perec, then Mathews, now Bowering) commemorating memories of the somewhat lesser known, but very much cherished Canadian artist Greg Curnoe. I came to know Curnoe through his illustrations of David McFadden's earlyish collections, (and, actually, is quite reminiscent of Brainard's own sketches in a circuitous way). Definitely worth reading for fans of the post-Tish-circle-era of Canadian poets, all that good stuff. The same interesting bits about the previous "I Remember" titles hold true - fleetingness of memory, and the value in putting it down as tribute to a waygone time. Short and sweet.