Jonas Mekas, Influential Avant-Garde Filmmaker, Dies at 96
Jonas Mekas, a prominent name in underground film, died at 96. Born in Lithuania, he initially made a name for himself as a poet but endured a Nazi labor camp during World War II. After escaping with his brother, they lived in refugee camps before he moved to New York in 1950. There, he picked up a handheld camera and immersed himself in the avant-garde scene. He was crucial in connecting the Velvet Underground with Andy Warhol and collaborated on ‘Empire.’ Mekas co-founded Anthology Film Archives, which holds the world’s largest collection of independent films, and faced obscenity charges for showing ‘Flaming Creatures’ in 1963. His key works include ‘Brig,’ ‘Walden,’ and ‘Out-Takes from the Life of a Happy Man.’
Key facts
- Jonas Mekas died at age 96.
- He was born in Lithuania and was a poet before becoming a filmmaker.
- He was interred in a Nazi labor camp during World War II and escaped with his brother.
- He emigrated to New York in 1950.
- He co-founded Anthology Film Archives, which has the largest archive of independent films globally.
- He was arrested on obscenity charges for screening 'Flaming Creatures' (1963) by Jack Smith.
- His film 'Brig' (1963) won the Grand Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
- In 2018, he wore a dog mask during a London screening to comment on mainstream cinema's treatment of avant-garde filmmakers.
Entities
Artists
- Jonas Mekas
- Andy Warhol
- Robert Frank
- John Lennon
- Yoko Ono
- Jack Smith
Institutions
- Anthology Film Archives
- ArtReview
- Venice Film Festival
Locations
- Lithuania
- New York
- London
- United Kingdom