Since some Frameworkers may not see (or care about) Facebook, I thought this post from Tara Merenda Nelson should reach them anyway:
Jonas Mekas was a great filmmaker, but to me his greatest legacy will be his cooperative, collaborative work in service to experimental film. He wasn’t in it for himself alone; he understood that filmmaking requires community, and he showed up for our community in every way possible. When nobody would write about avant garde film, he started a column in the newspaper, then a critical journal in which other artists could contribute their own thoughts. He worked with artists to promote and distribute their films all over the world. He saw the importance of preserving the films made by artists long before there was popular support for such a thing. In every interview I have read, he tells the stories of others, anyone who helped shoot or made connections or drove the van. His films are full of people, real people whom he loved and cared about, not just as characters or subjects. He showed up for screenings, participated in discussions, and shared his movies with everyone until the day he died. Sometimes I get very discouraged by the disgraceful history of the American avant garde, and by the increasingly self-serving, capitalist model that has nearly taken over the practice of making and showing experimental film. But losing Jonas today has gotten me fired up to do better, and to carry on the practice of contributing to the community that Jonas and his collaborators helped build in the first place. Filmmaking is a community, not a competition. Long Live Experimental Cinema! Cheers Jonas. <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215681385642563&set=a.10203074170990076&type=3&eid=ARBBwXc4TZsTrYdPR7Vsn2pQ_liWj8EIgNfNOYsvHL1N5caGhVQVngByE2bTJreUXfegDts76D2OuT37> On Wed, 23 Jan 2019 at 18:04, FrameWorks Admin <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes he passed away early this morning, peacefully at home. > He was 96 and still very active. He already prepared two books to be > released this spring. > There will be a Buddhist ceremony in the near future. > - Pip Chodorov > > > > On Jan 23, 2019, at 5:58 PM, Jonathan Walley <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello Frameworks community, > > I’ve just heard that Jonas Mekas has died: > > http://www.artnews.com/2019/01/23/jonas-mekas-key-experimental-filmmaker-dies-96/ > > I wish I had something compelling to say at this point, but I’m stunned > into silence for the moment. > > All best wishes to everyone, > Jonathan > > > _______________________________________________ > FrameWorks mailing list > [email protected] > https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks > -- 06.88.08.50.61
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