Jonas mekas spector books

You can order all of our titles online, we have sufficient stock, the supply is secured. It stands on an equal footing with his cinematic oeuvre, which. Conversations with filmmakers jonas mekas tenderbooks. Jonas mekas, the 95yearold icon of american avantgarde cinema, seems like the ideal subject for director douglas gordon, but i had nowhere to go ultimately proves to be unilluminating. The new york diaries, 19501969 by jonas mekas spector books i say i have to continue film culture, despite all the problems, despite the debts, despite the fact that i have. Id like to be notified of new arrivals in the following categories. Artisforyou20 this program serves as an introduction to the work of jonas mekas, renowned cofounder of. He disregarded genres and broke all the rules, always favoring pure expression and experimentation over formulas and expectations. Jonas mekas, who passed away earlier this year, was a legendary filmmaker, poet, cinema critic, and curator. I never did anything because i was interested in it, but from a certain kind of compulsion.

The first installment of mekas diaries, i had nowhere to go 19441955, was published by spector books in 2017. Pioneer avantgarde filmmaker, poet and artist jonas mekas born 1922 was the barometer of the new york art scene in the 1960s and 70s. Born in lithuania, he came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began shooting his first films there. Jonas mekas, champion of the poetic cinema the new yorker. Born in lithuania, he came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began shooting his first. Jonas mekas took his first photograph at age 17, when soviet tanks rolled into his village in lithuania. Walden, his first completed diary film, an epic portrait of the new york avantgarde art scene of the 60s, is also a groundbreaking work of personal cinema. I was very angry the last interview with jonas mekas. This book is a first hand account of the life, thoughts and feelings of a displaced person. At the age of 96, mekas was considered an emblematic artist of new york avantgarde scene and the pope of nonnarrative cinema. Ninetysix years is a long run, but jonas was so alive, so present during his last public appearances in the summer and autumn of 2018, that although his. Jonas mekass most popular book is i had nowhere to go.

Its a painful record of one persons experiences in a nazi forced labor camp. Mr mekas is considered to be the godfather of the american avantgarde and i agree. Free shipping for all orders over 50 germany, 100 eu, 200 worldwide. In new york he was an influential figure in the new american cinema, although he came to film.

Based in leipzig germany, our publishing house explores the possibilities offered by an active exchange between all parties involved in the book production process. Jonas mekas was well acquainted with a great many new york artists. Conversations with filmmakers mekas, jonas, konig, anne on. Born in lithuania, he came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began shooting his first experimental films there. An interview with filmmaker, poet, artist and film critic jonas mekas. This event marked the publication of his latest book, conversations with filmmakers, published by spector books. Jonas mekas i seem to live picks up in the 1950s, where his extraordinary and. Mekas developed a form of film diary in which he recorded his daily observations. In october 1949, jonas mekas, a twentysixyearold lithuanian writer, arrived in new york city on a united nations ship carrying european refugees from world war ii. Jonas mekas has worked together with andy warhol, george maciunas, john lennon, and many others. Jonas mekas described himself as a diarist, using this term to encompass his films and his videos, his prose and his poetry.

The new york diaries, 19502011 is jonas mekass key literary work. I was not about to wait til it reached the shelves here but instesd ordered a copy right from the publisher. It stands on an equal footing with his cinematic oeuvre, which he initially developed. Jonas mekas has 41 books on goodreads with 34 ratings. This event marked the publication of his latest book, conversations with filmmakers, published by spector books which. Presented by the lithuanian culture institute in partnership with mubi and serpentine cinema, this evening featured the pioneering filmmaker jonas mekas in conversation with hans ulrich obrist, as well as a screening of his 2012 film, outtakes from the life of a happy man.

Jonas mekas in his 1990 film scenes from the life of andy warhol. F or seven decades, from the moment he borrowed the cash needed to buy a bolex 16 mm camera, jonas mekas worked tirelessly along every feasible avenue to champion what he came to call the new american cinema. Jonas mekas and the weight of memory interview magazine. Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world. December 24, 1922 january 23, 2019 was a lithuanianamerican filmmaker, poet, and artist who has often been called the godfather of american avantgarde cinema. He conducted numerous interviews with artists, some of which appeared for the first time in his scrapbook of the sixties, published by spector books. As the main editor of film culture magazine and a cinema critic for the village voice in the 1950s and 1960s, he gave significant substance.

Mekas describes a condition of emotional freneticism brought on, perhaps, in the aftermath of his escape with his brother adolfas from a nazi labor camp just six years prior. Jonas mekas and the new american cinema the current. Poet and hero of the american counterculture, jonas mekas, born in lithuania in 1922, invented the diary form of filmmaking. His touchstone was the french new wave, which, mekas recognized, had been influenced by. In new york he was an influential figure in the new. Receive a postcard with jonas mekas and andy warhol thanking you for supporting our campaign. I had nowhere to go strands viewers in the dark with. This is the opening reflection of i seem to live, the first volume in a collection of mekass copious diaries, to be released in february by spector books. I seem to live chronicles the beginnings of new yorks avantgarde film world and the emergence of a counterculture. He was is one of the most inspiring artists ive ever encountered the poets version of a kung fu master. January 23 marks the oneyear anniversary of the death of jonas mekas, known as the godfather of american avantgarde cinema. His work has been exhibited in museums and at festivals worldwide. Jonas mekas was a force of nature an untiring artistic energy field. The year was 1949, and mekas and his brother adolfas had arrived in.

Spector s publishing practice is settled squarely in the intersection of art, theory, and design. The new york diaries, 19501969 by jonas mekas spector books. Scrapbook of the sixties is a collection of published and unpublished texts by jonas mekas, filmmaker, writer, poet, and cofounder of the anthology film archives in new york. He and his younger brother, adolfas, who traveled with him, had been planning to go on to chicago, but settled instead in williamsburg, brooklyn, among other lithuanian immigrants. The first volume of this magnum opus, covering the period from 195069, appears posthumously one year after his death. We often talk, a bit blithely, about art as a place, a haven. Yesterday was the book premiere of jonas meka s diaries in new york. As stores are closing all over the place you might wonder how to get those books now that there finally is time to read. The first volume of this magnum opus, covering the period from 195069, appears. Jonas mekas was the cofounder, in 1954, of the seminal publication film culture. Jonas mekas war eine naturgewalt ein unerschopfliches kunstlerisches energiefeld. Jonas mekas, conversations with filmmakers serpentine.

Jonas mekas i seem to live picks up in the 1950s, where his extraordinary and popular memoir i had nowhere to. The new york diaries 19501969, volume 1, a whirlwind chronicle of the lithuanianamerican artists transformative impact on the new york art scene. This is the opening reflection of i seem to live, the first volume in a collection of mekass copious diaries, currently available through spector books. In celebration of his singular life, spector books will release i seem to live. Spectors publishing practice is settled squarely in the intersection of art, theory, and design. Experimental cinema news and resources on experimental films. Many readers curious about the early years of this seminal avantgarde filmmaker will discover here a much more universal story. He was the first film critic of the village voice, and his selfchosen beat was the noncommercial cinema.

Jonas mekas, born in lithuania, came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began shooting his first films there. This ebook contains the outtake of one chapter of the scrapbook. Jonas mekas diaries have an aching honesty, puckish humor and quiet nobility of character. Jonas mekas, born in lithuania, came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began. Born in lithuania, he came to brooklyn via germany in 1949 and began shooting hi. He became the barometer of the new york art scene and a pioneer of american.