JONAS MEKAS 365 DAY PROJECT Inhalt / Contents

3 Fabian Offert: Jonas Mekas on Video

10 Jonas Mekas: 365 Day Project

46 Jonas Mekas: 7 Projekte / 7 Projects 1966–2014

51 Jonas Mekas: 5 Kinofilme / 5 Feature Films 1964–2000

52 Jonas Mekas: Films, Videos, Installations 1962–2014

54 Impressum / Credits

55 Jonas Mekas: 365 Day Project Installationsansicht / Installation view Fabian Offert

Jonas Mekas on Video

I am a film-maker and a poet I am a huge image projector Jonas Mekas1

Der 1922 in Litauen geborene Filmemacher The filmmaker and poet Jonas Mekas has und Lyriker Jonas Mekas gilt als einer der been one of the most influential figures in einflussreichsten Protagonisten des Experi- experimental film since the 1960s. Born in mentalfilms seit den 1960er Jahren. Durch Lithuania in 1922, he found his second die Verwerfungen des 20. Jahrhunderts home in New York City in 1949, after fleeing hindurch – zunächst auf der Flucht aus his home country and surviving a German Litauen, dann eingesperrt in und auf der forced labor camp and a displaced persons Flucht aus deutschen Arbeitslagern und camp. In New York, Mekas personally Displaced Person Camps – fand er seine encountered the artistic movements of the zweite Heimat bereits 1949 in New York. In city and the protagonists of beat generation, beständiger persönlicher Auseinanderset- fluxus, abstract expressionism and pop art zung mit den Bewegungen der Stadt, Beat (all assembled in Birth of a Nation, 1997), Generation, Fluxus, abstrakter Expressionis- distinguishing himself among the avant- mus, Pop Art und ihren Protagonisten (die garde not only through his experimental zahlreich in Birth of a Nation, 1997 versam- films but also through his art criticism in the melt sind) avancierte Mekas dort zu einer Village Voice and in Film Culture, a magazine der zentralen Figuren der künstlerischen Mekas started with his brother Adolfas in Avantgarde – vor allem durch seine Filme, 1954. aber auch durch seine Kommentare und In 1962, Mekas founded the Film-Maker’s Kritiken in der Village Voice und in der von Cooperative, which revolutionized the dis- ihm und seinem Bruder Adolfas 1954 tribution of films produced outside Holly- geschaffenen Zeitschrift Film Culture. wood, and eight years later he launched Indem er 1962 die Film-Makers’ Cooper- Anthology Film Archives, an institution ative ins Leben rief, revolutionierte Mekas devoted to the study, conservation and den Distributionsapparat jenseits des Holly- wood-Mainstreams und mit der Gründung der Anthology Film Archives, deren Direktor er heute noch ist, legte er 1969/70 schließ- lich den Grundstein für die Erforschung, Bewahrung und Ausstellung jener Kunst- richtung, die er mitbegründete. Seitdem wird sein Werk regelmäßig in großen Aus- stellungen in den Vereinigten Staaten und in Europa gewürdigt, hier zuletzt in einer Doppelausstellung im Museum Ludwig in Köln (2008) und der Serpentine Gallery in London (2010) sowie im vergangenen Jahr 2 im DOX Prag . Gleichzeitig ist Mekas einer Jonas Mekas mit Bolex-Filmkamera / with Bolex der wichtigsten lebenden Lyriker der camera. Photo: Boris Lehman

3 litauischen Sprache. 2005 vertrat er Litauen exhibition of experimental film, which he bei der Biennale in Venedig, 2007 eröffnete still serves as a director. Mekas’ highly das Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center in acclaimed work has been shown extensively Vilnius. in the United States and Europe, most Mekas’ künstlerische Arbeit dreht sich recently in a joint exhibition at the Museum einerseits immer wieder um den für seine Ludwig in Cologne (2008) and the Serpen- Biographie so zentralen Komplex der Erinne- tine Gallery in London (2010) as well as the rung, reflektiert dabei aber andererseits auf DOX Prague in 20132. Beyond that, Mekas eindrückliche Weise ebenso die medialen is considered one of the most significant Eigenheiten der zum Einsatz kommenden contemporary Lithuanian poets. In 2005, »Erinnerungsapparate«, vom klassischen he represented Lithuania at the Venice 16-mm-Film über digitale Videosysteme Biennale and in 2007 the Jonas Mekas Visual bis zur internetbasierten Videoplattform Arts Center in Vilnius opened to the public. und anderen Formen der nicht-kollektiven In his films, videos, and installations, Rezeption jenseits des Kinos, die Mekas Jonas Mekas frequently centers on the für seine Arbeit ohne Berührungsängste complex of biographical memory, simulta- erschließt. neously exploring the technological singu- Die Idee eines tagebuchartigen Filmens larities of the various “mnemonic devices” ist dabei von Beginn an in Mekas’ Arbeit, he audaciously uses: classic 16mm film, die er selbst oft als »diaristic« bezeichnet, digital video systems, internet based video angelegt, von der Einzelbildserie bis zum platforms and other forms of non-collective abendfüllenden Film. Im 365 Day Project, reception beyond the movie theater. für das Mekas an jedem Tag des Jahres The idea of a “diaristic” way of film- 2007 ein Video produziert hat und das am making is inscribed in every aspect of his ZKM | Karlsruhe zum ersten Mal als große work, from single-frame fragments to fea- Installation auf 52 Monitoren zu sehen ist, ture-length films. For the 365 Day Project begegnet uns dementsprechend eine Mekas recorded a video on every day of vielfältige Sammlung von Ausschnitten 2007. The resulting collection of videos aus Mekas’ Leben. Landschaftsaufnahmen forms a fragmented audiovisual journal. wechseln sich ab mit Mitschnitten von We see landscapes, live recordings of public öffentlichen Veranstaltungen, Konzerten, events, concerts, gatherings with friends Treffen mit Freunden wie Jean-Jacques such as Jean-Jacques Lebel, archive foot- Lebel, Archivaufnahmen und philosophi- age and Jonas Mekas himself, sitting in his schen Betrachtungen, die Mekas in seiner Brooklyn kitchen and speaking directly to Küche in Brooklyn frontal in die Kamera the camera, reflecting on philosophical spricht. Die Installation erlaubt es dabei, so- questions. In the exhibition, the project is wohl alle Filme gleichzeitig, gewissermaßen presented as an installation of 52 screens als bewegtes Mosaik, als auch einzeln zu that enables the viewer to watch the videos betrachten. Rezeptionsästhetisch verstan- both individually and simultaneously as a den verschiebt sich, wie auch schon bei large mosaic of moving images. Similar to Mekas’ früheren installativen Experimenten Mekas’ early installative experiments (like wie dem Destruction Quartet (2006), das Destruction Quartet, 2006), the filmic tech- filmische Mittel der Montage aus dem Werk nique of montage is spatialized and the con- in den Raum und wird so dem Betrachter überlassen. Mekas’ Inspirationen für das Projekt, Francesco Petrarcas Gedichtzyklus Il Canzo- niere aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und Edmon- do de Amicis Tagebuchroman Cuore (1886), verweisen auf seinen zentralen künstleri- schen Anspruch einer Fusion von Lyrik und Film, der in seiner Arbeit immer präsent ist.

4 Nicht völlig jenseits, aber zumindest in skep- struction of a timeline thus left to the viewer. tischer Distanz zur Narration und ihren kine- As an inspiration for the 365 Day Project, matographischen Mitteln, arbeitet er auch Mekas often names Francesco Petrarca’s im 365 Day Project an der Verwirklichung 14th century collection of poems Il Can- dieses Anspruchs. Wie Czeslaw Milosz in zoniere and Edmondo de Amici’s fictional seinem Vorwort zu Mekas’ Gedichtband diary Cuore (1886). This is hardly surprising, There Is No Ithaca schreibt, ist Mekas »a as his work and particularly the 365 Day Pro- visionary who lifts the most earthly details ject attempts a fusion of poetry and film of reality to a higher level of intensity: this while staying skeptically aware of the limi- explains why he is both a poet and a poet of tations of literary and filmic narration. As things observed and preserved on the film Czeslaw Milosz writes in his foreword to reel.«3 Mekas’ volume of poems There Is No Ithaca: Eines seiner zentralen künstlerischen Mekas is “a visionary who lifts the most Prinzipien ist dabei das »re-use«, die Wieder- earthly details of reality to a higher level of und Mehrfachverwendung, die Komposition intensity: this explains why he is both a poet und Rekombination von Bildmaterial aus and a poet of things observed and preserved unterschiedlichen raumzeitlichen und on the film reel.”3 medialen Zusammenhängen. Niemals One of Mekas’ main artistic principles is geht es Mekas dabei nur um die bloße the “re-use,” the recombination and compo- Abbildung des Bestehenden. Mekas’ Filme sition of footage from different spatial, tem- sind »Be-schreibungen« im Wortsinne, sie poral and medial contexts. His films never zeichnen auf der Oberfläche des Konkreten just represent reality but trace the abstract das Abstrakte nach, das in ihnen angelegt nature of reality beneath its specific surface ist, ohne das eine für das andere aufzuge- without abandoning representation in favor ben, also niemals bis hin zur vollständigen of abstraction. This inevitably draws our Abstraktion, aber immer mit der Tendenz zur attention to the technical apparatus, its vollständigen Abstraktion spielend. restrictions and artifacts. “Mekas on video“ Der technische Apparat mit all seinen is thus always also “Mekas on video,” Limitationen und Artefakten rückt so auto- Mekas (like in Self-Portrait, 1980) reflecting matisch mit in das Blickfeld des Betrachters. on the limitations of his medium and, en »Mekas on video«, Mekas auf Video, ist des- passant, on the numerous ontological ques- halb immer auch »Mekas on video«, Mekas tions that are so often the only substance of über Video, Mekas, der, wie in Self-Portrait more conceptually oriented formats. (1980), sich und seine Kamera erklärt, die At the same time, Mekas’ work often con- Grenzen seines Mediums offenlegt und fronts the viewer with lights and colors of an geradezu en passant zu all den ontologi- unexpected intensity indicating a mode of schen Fragen Stellung nimmt, um die allein perception that transcends time and space es konzeptuell orientierteren Formaten oft and creates an alternative rationality that geht. bridges past and present – a rationality Gleichzeitig begegnet uns in Mekas’ that follows a consequential logic (as Arbeit ein Licht- und Farbspektakel, das in Adorno calls it) which derives its rational seiner Intensität über das, was zu sehen ist, conclusions from singular phenomena hinausweist, auf eine Sinneswahrnehmung rather than from notions of meaning.4 die Raum und Zeit transzendiert, die gewis- sermaßen eine alternative Rationalität her- vorbringt (mit Adorno könnte man von Kon- sequenzlogik sprechen, von einer Logik also, die rationale Konsequenzen aus Phä- nomenen statt Begriffen zieht4), in der Ver- gangenheit und Gegenwart überbrückt werden. Was bei Proust »die Ortsnamen, die Landschaft«5 sind, sind bei Mekas ver-

5 schwommene Schappschüsse der ver- Proust’s “place-names”5 are Mekas’ grainy schneiten litauischen Landschaft seiner shots of the Lithuanian landscape of his Kindheit und der Sonne, die hinter dem childhood, of the sun setting behind the World Trade Center (in WTC Haikus, 2010) World Trade Center (as in WTC Haikus, oder den Klippen von Cassis (in Cassis, 2010) and the cliffs of Cassis (in Cassis, 1966) untergeht. In einem Interview nimmt 1966). In an interview Mekas explains this Mekas auf diese Arbeitsweise Bezug: approach to color: »Scott McDonald: The color in the first “Scott McDonald: The color in the first two reels of Lost Lost Lost is georgeous. two reels of Lost Lost Lost is georgeous. Mekas: Much of it is time’s effect on the Mekas: Much of it is time’s effect on the early Kodachrome. I didn’t like it in the origi- early Kodachrome. I didn’t like it in the origi- nal color. As it began aging, I liked it much nal color. As it began aging, I liked it much more and decided to use it.«6 more and decided to use it.”6 And: Oder an anderer Stelle: “McDonald: Walden is the film of yours I’ve »McDonald: Walden is the film of yours seen most often. When I first saw it, I was I’ve seen most often. When I first saw it, conscious primarily of the diaristic aspects. I was conscious primarily of the diaristic But, more recently, I’ve been just as aware aspects. But, more recently, I’ve been just of the changing film stocks and the different as aware of the changing film stocks and tintings of the black-and-white footage. It the different tintings of the black-and-white now seems simultaniously an exploration of footage. It now seems simultaniously an your personal environment and of film mate- exploration of your personal environment rials. and of film materials. Mekas: Those are all controlled acci- Mekas: Those are all controlled acci- dents”.7 dents.«7 In Mekas’ work, film’s revolutionary Das revolutionäre Potenzial des Films, das potential, which Walter Benjamin recog- Walter Benjamin vor allem in der Montage nized in the technique of montage, is a sah, setzt sich bei Mekas fort in den weiche- potential of light and color as well. In addi- ren Kategorien des Lichts und der Farbe. tion to cuts, Mekas uses exposure to deto- Das »Dynamit der Zehntelsekunde« ver- nate “the dynamite of the tenth of a second” weist bei Mekas immer auch auf die so we can follow him, The Flaneur with a Zehntelsekunde der Belichtung, nicht nur Camera (another exhibition title)8, and des Schnitts. Dennoch bleibt die Spreng- “calmly and adventurously”9 travel a world kraft dieser Zehntelsekunde erhalten, so burst asunder by film. dass wir auch weiterhin »gelassen abenteu- We encounter the same subtly subversive erliche Reisen«8 zwischen den Trümmern method in Mekas’ digital works as well. He der durch den Film gesprengten Welt unter- artfully employs the often criticized indiffer- nehmen können, Mekas, dem Flaneur mit ence of the digital towards its content in der Kamera (so der Titel einer weiteren Aus- order to critically frame the heterogeneous stellung9), folgend. material of the 365 Day Project and at the Subtil setzt sich diese Arbeitsweise auch same time to join it into one single work. im Digitalen fort. Mekas versteht es, des- His works are “home-movies” (as he himself sen oft kritisierte »Glätte« geschickt zu nut- calls them in Walden, 1969): movies about zen, um das heterogene Material des 365 Day Project einerseits kritisch zu rahmen, andererseits zu einer einzigen großen Arbeit zu »verfugen«. Seine Filme sind im doppel- ten Sinne »home-movies« (wie Mekas selbst in Walden, 1969, bemerkt): Einerseits sind sie »Heimatfilme«, Erinnerungsfilme und andererseits spielen sie mit der Ästhetik des Amateurfilms. Dies gilt auch für seine

6 Videos. Eine wichtige Rolle spielt hierbei one’s home, about the loss of one’s home die Belichtungsautomatik der einfachen and, at the same time, movies that playfully Videokamera, die er verwendet. Deren explore the aesthetics of amateur film and Unzuverlässigkeit hüllt Szenen in eine künst- video. The automatic exposure mode of liche, tiefschwarze Nacht, die noch der all- Mekas’ ordinary camera plays an important täglichsten Begebenheit die Ernsthaftigkeit role in this process. Its regular malfunctions des Weltuntergangs verleiht, lässt an zwei obscure the time differences between the aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen gedrehte Auf- recordings, adding an apocalyptic darkness nahmen so erscheinen, als seien sie auf ver- even to banalities, befogging every single schiedenen Planeten entstanden und taucht “day” with the greyness of early digital gleichzeitig alle »Tage« in das egalisierende video. Fast-Grau des frühen Digitalvideos. Nevertheless, also in regard to its content Die Elemente des 365 Day Project verbin- there is more to the 365 Day Project than the det dabei natürlich auch inhaltlich mehr als idea of an ultimate video diary. A complex nur die Idee eines in aller Konsequenz betrie- network of allusions pervades the whole benen Videotagebuchs. In der sprunghaften project. Deviations in the repetition of place Bewegung durch die Untiefen des Projekts and perspective create a vast number of enthüllen sich komplexe Netzwerke; nicht cross references. However, Mekas aesthet- zuletzt aus der Differenz in der Wiederho- ics of the preliminary allows no arbitrariness. lung von Orten und Einstellungen entsteht As Mekas wrote in 1962: “Improvisation is ein Biotop von Referenzen. Die Ästhetik the highest form of condensation, it points der Vorläufigkeit, die seinen Aufnahmen to the very essence of a thought, an emo- anhaftet, so stellt Mekas bereits 1962 klar, tion, a movement. [...] It is an ability that ist dabei keine Ästhetik der Beliebigkeit. every true artist develops by a constant and »Improvisation«, schreibt Mekas, »is the life-long inner vigilance, by the cultivation – highest form of condensation, it points to yes! – of his senses.”10 The documentation the very essence of a thought, an emotion, a of everyday life creates aesthetic correla- movement. [...] It is an ability that every true tions that outreach everyday life. artist develops by a constant and life-long In the video dating from February 20, inner vigilance, by the cultivation – yes! – of 2007, we see Mekas as he buys a news- his senses.«10 Aus der Dokumentation des paper in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Starting Alltäglichen entstehen ästhetische Zusam- with a view through the glass door of menhänge, die weit über das Alltägliche Mekas’ apartment, the camera pans around, hinausreichen. almost intuitively capturing the snow- So sehen wir am 20. Februar 2007 Jonas covered city, passersby, shops and Mekas Mekas, wie er in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, himself wearing a colorful knitted hat. He eine Zeitung kauft. Das entsprechende Video beginnt mit einem Blick durch die Glastür seines Apartments. Scheinbar intui- tiv schwenkt die Kamera umher, man sieht die verschneite Stadt, Mekas selbst, der eine bunte Strickmütze trägt, Passanten und Geschäfte. Mekas betritt einen Kiosk, das Licht der Leuchtstoffröhren verursacht ein hektisches Flackern in der Belichtungsauto- matik. Er sucht verschiedene Zeitungen zusammen. Ganz kurz wird eine Überschrift sichtbar: »Happy to be alive«. Mekas bezahlt die Zeitungen, bedankt sich und verlässt das Geschäft. Entgegen der Richtung seiner Fußspuren läuft er den kurzen Weg zurück. Jonas Mekas: 365 Day Project (February 19, 2007), Diese scheinbar banale Begebenheit wird video still

7 innerhalb des 365 Day Project jedoch durch enters a newspaper kiosk where the electri- den vorhergehenden Film vom 19. Februar cal light makes the camera’s exposure auto- 2007 kontextualisiert. Hier streift Mekas matic jitter. Mekas picks out his papers. For durch einen verschneiten Landstrich in a split second a headline is visible: “Happy Litauen. »It should be right here«, hört man to be alive”. Mekas pays, thanks the cashier ihn auf Litauisch sagen. »Here was the and leaves. He walks back in the opposite room. Here is the table. Here is where I was direction of his own footprints from a few born.« Er setzt sich in den Schnee. »Put your minutes ago. ear to the earth and listen«, sagt jemand. This seemingly random event, however, Mekas legt sich auf den Boden und horcht. is contextualized by the video dating from »It’s snowing, it’s / all white in Lithu- / ania, February 19, 2007. Here we see Mekas wan- in the village / I was born and which / is no der a snow-covered landscape in Lithuania. longer there / as I put my ear close / to earth We hear him say in Lithuanian: “It should be and listen / to it on the spot / I was born«, right here. Here was the room. Here is the so fasst Mekas’ Text auf der Projektwebsite table. Here is where I was born.” He sits es nüchtern zusammen. Der Hut rutscht down in the snow. Someone says: “Put Mekas vom Kopf. Für einen Moment ergibt your ear to the earth and listen.” Mekas lies sich ein seltsam vertrautes Bild: Ein Mann down and presses his ear to the ground. As im Schnee, der Hut neben ihm, in einer Mekas’ description on the project’s website scheinbar lebensfeindlichen Landschaft. puts it: “It’s snowing, it’s / all white in Lithu- / Vor dem inneren Auge des Betrachters ania, in the village / I was born and which / is erscheint das Bild des toten Robert Walser, no longer there / as I put my ear close / to der wiederum seiner eigenen erfrorenen earth and listen / to it on the spot / I was Kunstfigur, Sebastian aus den Geschwistern born.” Mekas hat slides down. For a Tanner gleicht. Mekas aber steht geschwind moment, a strangely familiar image unfolds: wieder auf, formt mit der Hand einen a man in the snow, his hat next to him, in a Schneeball und beginnt mit geradezu kind- hostile landscape. The viewer is reminded of licher Freude eine Schneeballschlacht, Robert Walser who has died alone in the »happy to be alive«. snow and who himself reminds us of a char- Es sind diese schwerelos geknüpften acter he created, Sebastian from The Tan- Verbindungen zwischen Erinnerung und ners, who also froze to death. Mekas, how- radikaler Gegenwärtigkeit, zwischen Fiktion ever, quickly stands up, forms a snowball und Dokumentation die sich immer wieder and starts a snowball fight, “happy to be in Mekas’ Arbeit finden. »As I am moving alive.” ahead … glimpses of the past linger«, wie Such delicate connections between der Titel der Prager Ausstellung lautete. memories and radical presence, between Mekas befindet sich in ständiger Bewe- fiction and documentation are characteristic gung, die jedoch keine lineare ist, sondern of Mekas’ work. “As I am moving ahead … ihn immer wieder auch in die Vergangenheit glimpses of the past linger” was the spot zurückführt, die plötzlich »im neuen Licht« on title of his last exhibition in Prague. (im Wortsinne) der Gegenwart erscheint. Mekas is always in transit, moving from the Die eigene Bewegung durch das Leben past to the present that always puts a new und den Alltag steht für ihn, wie für Robert complexion on the past. For Mekas – as for Walser, am Anfang des ästhetischen Prozes- ses: »Ich teile mit, daß ich eines schönen Vormittags, ich weiß nicht mehr genau, um wieviel Uhr, da mich die Lust, einen Spazier- gang zu machen, ankam, den Hut auf den Kopf setzte, das Schreib- oder Geisterzim- mer verließ, die Treppe hinunterlief, um auf die Straße zu eilen«11. Eben diese exakte Poetisierung des spontan Geschehenden

8 zeichnet Mekas’ Arbeit aus, ob als Dichter Robert Walser, for that matter – the walking oder Filmemacher. through life and the daily routines are the So ist auch das 365 Day Project nicht starting point of all aesthetic processes: Abschluss oder Höhepunkt von Mekas’ “I have to report that one fine morning, I do Werk, sondern, wie alle punktuellen Mani- not know any more for sure what time it festationen von seiner Arbeit, nur ein Teil was, as the desire to take a walk came over unter vielen, ein Teil einer sich fortsetzenden me, I put my hat on my head, left my writing Chronik des Geschehenden. Auf Mekas’ room, or room of phantoms, and ran down Website sind bereits die filmischen Tage- the stairs to hurry out into the street.”11 bucheinträge der letzten Wochen ab- Deriving poetry from such spontaneous rufbar12. events is the core of Mekas’ art as a poet and as a film maker. Hence, even the 365 Day Project is neither finale nor culmination of Mekas’ work but only one part of many, one part of a continu- ous chronicle of events. Through Mekas’ website his video diary entries from the past few weeks are already accessible.12

1 Jonas Mekas: »I Am a Film-maker and a Poet« 1 Jonas Mekas: “I Am a Film-maker and a Poet” (1999). In: Barbara Engelbach (Hg.): Jonas Mekas (1999). In: Barbara Engelbach (Ed.): Jonas Mekas (Ausstellungskatalog Köln/London). London: (exhibition catalogue Cologne/London). London: Koenig Books, 2008, S. 16. Koenig Books, 2008, p. 16. 2 Vgl. Jaroslav Andeˇl (Hg.): Jonas Mekas. Glimpses 2 See Jaroslav Andeˇl (Ed.): Jonas Mekas. Glimpses Of The Past Linger (Ausstellungskatalog Prag). Of The Past Linger (exhibition catalogue Prague). DOX Prag, 2013. DOX Prag, 2013. 3 Vorwort von Czeslaw Milosz in: Jonas Mekas: 3 Foreword by Czeslaw Milosz in: Jonas Mekas: There Is No Ithaca. New York: Black Thistle Press, There Is No Ithaca. New York: Black Thistle Press, 1996, S. IV. 1996, p. IV. 4 Vgl. Theodor W. Adorno: Ästhetische Theorie. 4 See Theodor W. Adorno: Aesthetic Theory (transl. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1970, S. 205. by Robert Hullot-Kentor). London, New York: 5 Vgl. Marcel Proust: Auf der Suche nach der Continuum, 2004, p. 181. verlorenen Zeit. Deutsch von Eva Rechel-Mertens. 5 See Marcel Proust: In Search of Lost Time (transl. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1964. by Lydia Davis). London: Penguin Classics, 2003. 6 Jonas Mekas, Interview mit Scott McDonald 6 Jonas Mekas, Interview with Scott McDonald in: Engelbach 2008, S. 144. in: Engelbach 2008, p. 144. 7 ibid., S. 154ff. 7 ibid., p. 154–155. 8 Walter Benjamin: »Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter 8 See Jonas Mekas. Der Flaneur mit der Kamera seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit« (exhibition catalogue Vienna). Vienna: SYNEMA – (3. Fassung). In: Ders.: Gesammelte Schriften, Gesellschaft für Film und Medien, 2013. Bd. II.1. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1977, 9 See Walter Benjamin: “The Work of Art in the S. 449f. Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” In: Walter 9 Vgl. Jonas Mekas. Der Flaneur mit der Kamera Benjamin: Illuminations (ed. by Hannah Arendt). (Ausstellungskatalog Wien). Wien: SYNEMA – New York, NY: Schocken Books, 2007, p. 236. Gesellschaft für Film und Medien, 2013. 10 Jonas Mekas: “Notes On The New American 10 Jonas Mekas: »Notes On The New American Cinema.” In: P. Adams Sitney (Ed.). Film Culture Cinema«. In: P. Adams Sitney (Hg.): Film Culture Reader. New York NY: Cooper Square Press, Reader. New York NY: Cooper Square Press, 2000, p. 105. 2000, S. 105. 11 Robert Walser: “The Walk.” In: The Walk And 11 Robert Walser: »Der Spaziergang« (1917). Other Stories (transl. by Christopher Middleton In: Der Spaziergang. Ausgewählte Geschichten. et al.). London: The Serpent’s Tail, 2013, p. 54. Zürich: Diogenes, 2006, S. 7. 12 jonasmekas.com/diary 12 jonasmekas.com/diary

9 Jonas Mekas: 365 Day Project

2007, 2280' 16-mm-Film und Video auf Digitalvideo, Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton 16mm film and analog video transferred to digital video, digital video, color, sound

Installation, 52 Monitore / installation, 52 screens (2014)

Mon January 1 Tue January 2 Wed January 3 Thu January 4

Me, at Zebulon, a In Avignon, at the Benn, Sebastian and Pedro, at Nick Cave’s music bar in Williams- Cloister of St. Louis, myself, we visit Louise favorite caipirinha bar burg, Brooklyn, dedi- reading the mystic, Bourgeois to wish her in São Paulo, gives cating this 365 day Moshe Chaim Happy 95th Birthday. a lesson in how to series to Petrarca Luzzatto. 5 min. 32 sec. prepare the classic (1304–1374) the poet 4 min. 6 sec. Brazilian drink. who wrote 365 poems 5 min. 32 sec. to Laura, the woman he loved. Music by Himalayas. 3 min. 10 sec.

Mon January 8 Tue January 9 Wed January 10

With Jean-Jacques rain rain rain Lebel, toasting let the rain Guillaume Apollinaire fall on and Futurists at 202 my thoughts Blvd. Saint-Germain, on my Paris, the house soul Apollinaire lived in. 4 min. 42 sec. 6 min. 32 sec. Susan Sontag and Bela Tarr talk about e-mails and new technologies. Taped in October 2001. 6 min. 10 sec.

10 Fri January 5 Sat January 6 Sun January 7

I let everything go. A visit to the castle of I’ll keep only love, Marquis de Sade, love as pure Provence. With Taylor as the blue sky. Mead and Jerome Hill. 5 min. 30 sec. Taped at the Grace Arts Centre, Brooklyn. Music by the Now We are Here orchestra. Dalius Naujo of Himalayas, with friends, play 3 min. 2 sec. at Anthology Film Archives for Benn’s birthday. Douglas Gordon joins me in filming the occas- sion. It’s great to be 27 forever! – 6 min. 40 sec.

Thu January 11 Fri January 12 Sat January 13 Sun January 14

A visit to the prison in I do not feel like doing In Paris, Sigmund Patti Smith reads which Jean Genet anything today. I want Freud has a good Allen Ginsberg spent time. I tell how to listen to music. session with for Harry Smith … I smuggled into the 6 min. 18 sec. Bennjamin … 4 min. 21 sec. States Genet’s film, 5 min. 10 sec. UN CHANT D’AMOUR. 5 min. 22 sec.

11 Mon January 15 Tue January 16 Wed January 17 Thu January 18

Peter Kubelka gives a In Paris, there is a tree ON THE PLEASURES Anthology Film lesson to Sebastian growing on the grave OF PERFUMES Archives, what is it? how to enjoy a cigar. of Stendhal. I converse Today I’ll give you a 5 min. 30 sec. with Harry Stendhal I introduce Greek Film special tour, I’ll show about death and trees. Festival at Anthology you the Cathedral of 4 min. 12 sec. Film Archives & read Cinema – Cavafy. 12 min. 5 sec. 6 min. 50 sec.

Mon January 22 Tue January 23 Wed January 24

I am in a bad, low I give a lesson in Yoga mood trying to find … All about how to be some uplifting music healthy … and happy on radio and failing. … like me ... 4 min. 50 sec. 3 min. 15 sec.

Yes, father and daughter. Here is the perfect love, as beautiful as it can be. With Rumple and Shiva. 3 min. 50 sec.

Mon January 29 Tue January 30 Wed January 31

Tired of reality, I tell Benn, Sebastian and three fairy tales to the a couple of friends, accompaniment of the we celebrate the Himalayas at Zebulon completion of the first music bar. month of the Calendar 8 min. 30 sec. Pods. We drink, we eat, we dance and fool around happily. We sing Brooklyn Rail blues at the Brooklyn Rail 3 min. 30 sec. office – our whole happy gang — 15 min. 25 sec.

12 Fri January 19 Sat January 20 Sun January 21

In Paris, I meet Evgen, Here is a fragment of an inspiring blind pho- Paradise as reflected tographer who gives in the faces of two me unique insights children playing violin into the visual world of at New York’s School the blind. For Strings, a Suzuki 5 min. 38 sec. method music school. 4 min. 55 sec. In 1965 Barbara Rubin chopped off Allen Ginsberg’s beard and put it into a little box. The other day I found it stacked next to Allen’s poetry … 4 min. 30 sec.

Thu January 25 Fri January 26 Sat January 27 Sun January 28

About The Secret Life A lesson in how to Dalius Naujo & I filmed this on the of Plants, an amazing make and serve Friends, of Himalayas, day of Epiphany in book I am reading — Omelette de la mere accompany Douglas Greenpoint, Brooklyn. 7 min. 17 sec. Poulard, filmed in Mt Gordon as he sings a Camels, kings, sheep, Saint-Michel. With Scottish folk ballad at and much more! Peter Kubelka. a happy jam session at 5 min. 50 sec. 12 min. 35 sec. Anthology. 7 min. 27 sec.

Thu February 1 Fri February 2 Sat February 3 Sun February 4

Ken Jacobs the Ornette Coleman Hiro Yamagata at work In Montauk together master film performer/ practices in his studio. on Earthly Paradise with Basho¯, I ruminate minstrel reveals his 2 min. 50 sec. Mercedes project. on the shores of the nervous technologies. Allen Ginsberg Atlantic Ocean. (Filmed in London) comments (read by 5 min. 40 sec. 8 min. 10 sec. Sebastian). 6 min. 59 sec.

13 Mon February 5 Tue February 6 Wed February 7

With Hermann Nitsch, The ashes of Ken and Flo Jacobs George Macˇiu¯nas, we go to Williams- the impressario of burg, Brooklyn’s Fluxus, come back hassidic area, where to Vilnius, Lithuania, Nitsch buys a new hat. mysteriously & 5 min. 55 sec. magically. 3 min. 45 sec. Nina Hagen just back from India, performs in New York (July 22 1998). 12 min. 05 sec.

Mon February 12 Tue February 13 Wed February 14 Thu February 15

Benn Northover and On a beautiful summer Live at Zebulon On June 14th of 1997 his dogs send me an day I meet a beautiful with Baye Kouyate. at Anthology Tony early morning video friend and we eat Conrad performs “The postcard from Suffolk, together. The Valentine for a Library of Time” with England 3 min. 13 sec. woman I love. Ursula Major on cello. 7 min. 27 sec. 6 min. 57 sec. (an excerpt) 12 min. 46 sec.

Mon February 19 Tue February 20 Wed February 21 Thu February 22

It’s snowing, it’s The season’s first I get angry, in a way … At PS1 party I meet all white in Lithu- snow in New York. The tabloids, the TV. I Sarah Sze. ania, in the village I buy a newspaper. sort of flip out … But I We talk about the I was born and which 6 min. have a good reason for installation art. is no longer there it – 2 min. 15 sec. as I put my ear close 5 min. 45 sec. to earth and listen to it on the spot I was born. 4 min. 47 sec.

14 Thu February 8 Fri February 9 Sat February 10 Sun February 11

How Are You Doing Donovan drops by Auguste gives a At Lucien restaurant Tonight – I sing with Anthology, we sing a lesson in music Raimund and Himalayas at Zebulon, Lithuanian folk song, and Confucius. Richard discuss Brooklyn we have a great time – A normal afternoon karate, shamans, 7 min. 15 sec. 8 min. 40 sec. at Anthology. and compassion. 10 min. 45 sec. 12 min. 15 sec.

Fri February 16 Sat February 17 Sun February 18

Back to March 1990: I have a good time on Lithuania says bye the set of Scorsese’s bye to the Soviet The Departed – Union and initiates its 4 min. collapse. 3 min.

Happy B’Day to you, Yoko! 4 min. 40 sec.

Fri February 23 Sat February 24 Sun February 25

At Pete’s Candy Store Phong tells jokes. Pip sings about his Pay attention: I do not Imaginary Friend with believe in political Slink Moss orchestra. correctness in telling 3 min. 25 sec. jokes, so maybe you skip this one. But more to come. 3 min. 38 sec. In the winter storm – a sparrow is saved – 14 min. 28 sec.

15 Mon February 26 Tue February 27 Wed February 28

At Mars bar, 1st Street My pod team, we & 2nd Avenue, good celebrate the end of old friends meet for February. Life goes on! a drink. Keep dancing! 6 min. 4 min. 23 sec.

I visit La Ciotat where brothers Lumière filmed their first movie, The trains are still running. 4 min. 20 sec.

Mon March 5 Tue March 6 Wed March 7

Peter Kubelka plays a At Cremcafe, Tibetan gong. downtown New York, 11 min. 30 sec. Benn and myself we talk about the eyes of women — 5 min. 20 sec.

I am having a relaxed Sunday afternoon with a glass of wine. I answer a telephone call about filming of Warhol’s EMPIRE 15 min. 28 sec.

Mon March 12 Tue March 13 Wed March 14 Thu March 15

For Jack Kerouac on Ariane Michel talks A night ride My old friend Peter his birthday. Benn and about the sadness through the streets Bogdanovich on Pip go nuts in the of the melting ice- of Williamsburg Buster Keaton and a streets of Paris. bergs and her film listening to Blind Willie few other things – 7 min. 08 sec. LES HOMMES. Johnson’s Dark Was 12 min. 10 sec. 12 min. the Night 2 min. 40 sec.

16 Thu March 1 Fri March 2 Sat March 3 Sun March 4

I attend Madonna’s Peter Beard makes Rue de Seine, Paris. LaMonte Young concert (July 3, 2006) an ink print for Ben Vautier tells an prepares his show in 4 min. 20 sec. Ch. Henri Ford anecdote about Avignon 5 min. 30 sec. George Macˇiunas. 4 min. 41 sec. 3 min. 15 sec.

Thu March 8 Fri March 9 Sat March 10 Sun March 11

At Cafe Conti, in Paris Peter Kubelka takes Dalius Naujo plays a piece about I am having a jambon, us to Willendorf, drums, as a surprise silence and sound – my favorite Paris Austria, where the dancer makes his 4 min. meal – prehistorical Venus entrance – 4 min. 52 sec. sculpture was 4 min. 08 sec. discovered 8 min. 05 sec.

Fri March 16 Sat March 17 Sun March 18

Menard Nponda My team gets into a from Tansania & snowball fight in Nakai Natema from Tampere, Finland. Zimbabwe drum and Then we all get hot in dance and have great a Finnish sauna and time in Tampere. jump into a freezing Finland. lake. Crazy, but all 5 min. 56 sec. Finns do it. I take Helsinki–Tampere train. Not much snow. 3 min. 23 sec. At the opening of Tampere Film Festival. 5 min. 32 sec.

17 Mon March 19 Tue March 20 Wed March 21

In Tampere, Finland, In a Helsinki bar a as the Festival is in full bartender shows his swing, the team of the skills and treats us 365 Day Project is with a national drink. working hard – 4 min. 36 sec. 4 min.

At the Tampere Film Festival, Circus Mundus Absurdus challenges flesh. Skip this one if your senses are too delicate. 5 min. 52 sec.

Mon March 26 Tue March 27 Wed March 28 Thu March 29

Happy Birthday, I taped this at the A requiem for a With Zoe Lund at Gregory Corso! (Taped Union Square broken tree, Sutton Mars Bar – taped by on September 22 Canarsie Line stop. Street, near Driggs, Auguste. 2000. With Sherry, I was taken by the Brooklyn. The tree 5 min. 10 sec. Gregory’s daughter.) absolute beautiful was waiting for the 4 min. 40 sec. innocence of the Spring – subway singer – 4 min. 12 sec. 7 min. 20 sec.

Mon April 2 Tue April 3 Wed April 4

A book party & Pola Now We Are Here Chapelle’s lesson music group at Grace in art – Center, Bushwick, 4 min. 10 sec. Brooklyn 4 min. 56 sec.

A conversation with Harmony Korine – 5 min. 35 sec.

18 Thu March 22 Fri March 23 Sat March 24 Sun March 25

A video postcard from A woman reveals to We drive all very Phong tells us an Sebastian, member of me her love affair with happy through the anecdote about our team, at the show Andy Warhol. She was streets of Tampere, being drunk, very very of Giuseppe Zevola seventeen, Andy was Finland, with Nina drunk – Heike Curtze Gallery, twenty. Simone on radio – 8 min. 30 sec. Vienna. With Pip & his 5 min. 05 sec. 2 min. 16 sec. students. 4 min. 40 sec.

Fri March 30 Sat March 31 Sun April 1

In Helsinki I talk to about why i am not the Press people interested to film about the diaristic the ugly and the experience in the depressing 20th Century arts – 4 min. 35 sec. 6 min. 35 sec.

In Torino, Kenneth Anger guides us through the magic grounds; Nietzsche’s horse – 4 min. 55 sec.

Thu April 5 Fri April 6 Sat April 7 Sun April 8

April showers It was on Good Friday On our way to Zebulon What would Easter bring May flowers – in 1327 that Petrarca music bar we stop to be without children 4 min. 40 sec. met Laura look at the East River and eggs! 3 min. 05 sec. 4 min. 20 sec. 5 min. 26 sec.

19 Mon April 9 Tue April 10 Wed April 11 Thu April 12

On Baudelaire’s Erica and Auguste At Mars Bar, with I have a bad cold. birthday I declare my declare their love to a Dominique, we talk With Jeff, we discuss love to French poets tree on Hudson Street about video, light, and the problems of our and Paris. New York City – Luis Buñuel – times … 4 min. 45 sec. 4 min. 45 sec. 2 min. 25 sec. 9 min. 10 sec.

Mon April 16 Tue April 17 Wed April 18

With Peter Sempel we Patti Smith reads get involved in a deep Ginsberg’s HOWL with discussion of nothing- Phil Glass on piano ness …… 4 min. 45 sec. 10 min. 45 sec.

John Zorn with his band at Anthology Film Archives performs COBRA, part one. 8 min. 30 sec.

Mon April 23 Tue April 24 Wed April 25

Peter Hutton has a snippets of old show at Anthology. footage all about Harry We talk about color Smith I was thinking blindness. about him today 5 min. 33 sec. 5 min. 12 sec.

My dragon story taped by Kimberly & something abt Chicago & bread — 3 min. 45 sec.

20 Fri April 13 Sat April 14 Sun April 15

news of the day … Hiro Yamagata’s show Thomas Krens, Arturas in New York Zuokas (mayor of 9 min. 57 sec. Vilnius) caught in a snow storm; Ed Koch at Anthology’s Film Preservation dinner; Anthology’s workers – 12 min. 34 sec. I tell a Sudek joke; Auguste listens to his own music; Auguste tries a piano – 8 min. 31 sec.

Thu April 19 Fri April 20 Sat April 21 Sun April 22

With Peter Kubelka I In Hollywood i have a Pola Chapelle’s tribute I am caught in a rain have a Bloody Mary at vodka with Marina to the Hoboken Trio at storm — & escargot at the Rainbow Room Goldovskaya. We talk the Danny’s Skylight Lucien — 5 min. 33 sec. about the river Volga Room Cabaret. 7 min. 45 sec. and Russia. 7 min. 57 sec. 13 min. 31 sec.

Thu April 26 Fri April 27 Sat April 28 Sun April 29

Remembering Cat Power at the Hiro With a glass of tequila, the Spring comes to Nam June Paik – Ballroom Feb 5, 2007 Giuseppe Zevola and the Prospect Park, Yoko Ono performs 4 min. Sebastian at Mars Bar Brooklyn – at the Guggenheim indulge in Dante and 6 min. 38 sec. Museum. Giordano Bruno – 7 min. 20 sec. 10 min. 45 sec.

21 Mon April 30 Tue May 1 Wed May 2 Thu May 3

day by day The yearly benefit at Zebulon music bar Anthology’s film summary of all concert to keep Film- I sing with Himalayas archivists at work April 2007 eye-pods Maker’s Cooperative band & a trip to Joseph for your reference – going – April 23rd – 9 min. 30 sec. Cornell’s house on 4 min. 58 sec. 8 min. 22 sec. Utopia Parkway, Queens, N.Y. 9 min. 16 sec.

Mon May 7 Tue May 8 Wed May 9 Thu May 10

Bedford Avenue, a lesson in country I managed to tape I react to a Liquid Williamsburg, dancing near Vienna Nick Cave singing one Architecture song , Brooklyn – suddenly 8 min. 29 sec. of Harry Smith’s Revolution is Over – turns into Paris, favorits at St. Ann’s 4 min. 32 sec. May ’68 – before they threw me 6 min. 24 sec. out – 3 min. 19 sec.

Mon May 14 Tue May 15 Wed May 16

Part Three of John my views on positive Zorn’s COBRA (see and negative politics, April 16 and May 4th Hollywood and for Parts One and Two) farming — 8 min. 55 sec. 10 min. 07 sec.

A late night walk through the streets of Williams- burg, Brooklyn, ending with a film by Auguste projected at Zebulon to Dalius Naujo music 7 min. 27 sec. 22 Fri May 4 Sat May 5 Sun May 6

Korean dancers surfers in Munich and celebrate Spring kayakers in Cahors Washington Square 6 min. 05 sec. Park, New York 13 min. 08 sec.

Part Two of John Zorn’s COBRA (see April 16 for Part One) 9 min. 51 sec.

Fri May 11 Sat May 12 Sun May 13

Peter and Raimund Julius admits he has discuss the state fallen in love with the of our civilization, Sun – Marija Gimbutas and 8 min. 42 sec. Malevich 8 min. 35 sec.

I am trying to learn to smoke – Benn dreams about Nora Jones and reveals he’s related to Oscar Wilde 7 min. 20 sec.

Thu May 17 Fri May 18 Sat May 19 Sun May 20

Jean-Jacques Lebel, in On May 9th I am In Paris, a reunion Sebastian, Benn, Paris, tells a politically meeting my friends at with Auguste, Benn, we are guests of incorrect anecdote Wepler, Henry Miller’s Pip, Sebastian and Samantha, at the about Gregory Corso – favorite Paris eating Zevola – castle of Cumiana, 10 min. 45 sec. place – 10 min. 38 sec. Italy. We play, sing 8 min. 41 sec. and celebrate nature. 9 min. 56 sec.

23 Mon May 21 Tue May 22 Wed May 23

In Torino, Italy, I meet Maya Deren on what Tonino de Bernardi. it means to be an We talk about Past in artist in an industrial the Present – culture – 14 min. 22 sec. 3 min. 52 sec.

At the Torino Book Fair I suddenly discover the reason why I began keeping a diary — Massimo Bacigalupo reads from De Amicis CUORE. 6 min. 21 sec.

Mon May 28 Tue May 29 Wed May 30 Thu May 31

Abt Brothers Lumière; on Harry Smith’s at Pink Pony Lower day by day summary Pasteur tells that wine birthday — Mark East Side New York, of all May eye-pods for is best medicinal Berger demonstrates with a bunch of your reference – drink; and more — the art and philosophy friends — 6 min. 34 sec. 8 min. 18 sec. of String Figures — 9 min. 40 sec. 9 min. 40 sec.

Mon June 4 Tue June 5 Wed June 6

A walk through Capri a memory of a Cape with Peter Kubelka Cod summer — as Virgil — 7 min. 50 sec. 9 min. 10 sec.

In the Camargue South France I visit my friend Guerero and his sisters (restaurant Chez Bob) 6 min. 56 sec.

24 Thu May 24 Fri May 25 Sat May 26 Sun May 27

about a plate rain storm in Brooklyn Viva and Alexandra, In Paris I have a drink of apples … 6 min. 51 sec. Alexandra and Luzia – with Nico Papatakis, 4 min. 26 sec. life goes on – producer of Genet’s 4 min. 10 sec. film Un Chant d’Amour – 7 min. 29 sec.

Fri June 1 Sat June 2 Sun June 3

Julius and me, we A lesson in how to get work at Anthology rid of headaches!!!! Film Archives, a very 7 min. 03 sec. poetic job – (taped by Auguste) 9 min. 15 sec.

Richard Serra’s exposition opens at MOMA a monumental beautiful event — 9 min. 03 sec.

Thu June 7 Fri June 8 Sat June 9 Sun June 10

On a visit to Girona, Our team goes Patti Smith at At the Grand Ferry Spain, we stumble on to Guggenheim, Anthology on Kenneth Park, Willamsburg, a surprise – a John but escapes to Anger and Robert Brooklyn, a Don’t Lennon Garden. Music Williamsburg to Bresson’s Au Hasard Demolish Domino rally by Dalius Naujo. dance and sing Balthazar– is taking place with 3 min. 14 sec. with Baye Kouyate 13 min. 33 sec. The Black Tie Party & 10 min. 41 sec. Hungry March Band 5 min. 50 sec.

25 Mon June 11 Tue June 12 Wed June 13 Thu June 14

In Italy, a visit to We get very excited by A summer night. On First Avenue we Stradivari Museum. Patti Smith’s version of Dalius, Kenny, our meet Taylor Mead, we Giuseppe Verdi wine Changing of the gang goes a little bit decide to have some- place, and the tomb of Guards in her new wild on Suffolk street, thing to eat at Lucien. Giulietta – album TWELVE — Lower East Side – 7 min. 30 sec. 6 min. 27 sec. 4 min. 38 sec. 5 min. 27 sec.

Mon June 18 Tue June 19 Wed June 20 Thu June 21

a lazy Sun afternoon at Peter Kubelka makes Luxembourg, Phil This one is for Nick Zebulon & flowers for a declaration re. Glass plays to my film Drake. Music: HORN, Bruce Baillie – essence of cinema — CASSIS, talks on by Drake. 5 min. 48 sec. 5 min. 38 sec. phone – 3 min. 26 sec. 5 min. 35 sec.

Mon June 25 Tue June 26 Wed June 27

At Spoonbill book- In Paris, at Bar du shop, Williamsburg, Marche, I meet some B’klyn, Tosh Berman of my good old presents a book friends – of his father’s photo- 9 min. 03 sec. graphs — 5 min. 05 sec.

Sarunas Bartas at San Francisco Film Festival — 3 min. 38 sec.

26 Fri June 15 Sat June 16 Sun June 17

Our team gets hungry, all about Paris Hilton! we eat Japanese. A & beauty of changing lesson in Japanese one’s mind – coffee. Then we drop 7 min. 13 sec. in at an art party – 9 min. 16 sec.

just a little poem – for a change — 2 min. 52 sec.

Fri June 22 Sat June 23 Sun June 24

Here is another Another episode of episode of my sitpod my ongoing sit-pod series – with Benn and series – an afternoon Linda. stop at a friend; 9 min. 30 sec. Raimund serves food for body and mind — 10 min. 45 sec.

Another fragment of Paradise. Children at School For Strings, NYC 3 min. 30 sec.

Thu June 28 Fri June 29 Sat June 30 Sun July 1

Night ride through Another episode of my Day by Day descrip- I ruminate re. the first Williamsburg with sit-pods: Benn reveals tion of all eye-pods of six months of the Skip James on radio – his love for Norah – month of June 365 Day project – 6 min. 14 sec. 5 min. 40 sec. 5 min. 7 min. 52 sec.

27 Mon July 2 Tue July 3 Wed July 4

hard rains fall on Deva Hari Parkash at Williamsburg Kiahkeya. L.I. City, 3 min. 07 sec. improvisational Indian Yoga/Odissi dance. 5 min. 25 sec.

July 4th fireworks East River Manhattan – 10 min. 29 sec.

Mon July 9 Tue July 10 Wed July 11

illuminating conver- Audubon Trail walk, sations on the subject Wellfleet, Cape Cod – of laziness take summer — place in Paris and 4 min. 52 sec. New York — 6 min. 32 sec.

c.1955 I filmed Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden — 3 min. 26 sec.

Mon July 16 Tue July 17 Wed July 18

Harry Stendhal and canoeing in Vermont Maya Stendhal ready —that’s where I’d like to open a new show to be today! with works of Hans 3 min. 28 sec. Richter, Eggeling, Paula Scher and Jonas Mekas (Maya Stendhal Gallery) the first chapter: adventures of Zara and Peter 6 min. 57 sec. Beard – 7 min. 26 sec.

28 Thu July 5 Fri July 6 Sat July 7 Sun July 8

the yearly Mermaid on the occasion of I continue my Tonya T. Bird flute Parade takes place in Gunther Grass’s visit ruminations about improvisations at Coney Island to New York Steidl life/cinema/poetry — Kiahkeya Long Island 6 min. 07 sec. indulges in Berlin/ 3 min. 54 sec. City Weimar cabaret — 4 min. 41 sec. 13 min. 19 sec.

Thu July 12 Fri July 13 Sat July 14 Sun July 15

I got up early and Morning Glories, a window curtain … a video postcard from so did Norah Jones Dalius Naujo at a gentle breeze … Elle Burchill — for Good Morning, Zebulon, a tree on 1 min. 47 sec. 4 min. 30 sec. America! Whyte Street 6 min. 2 min. 47 sec.

Thu July 19 Fri July 20 Sat July 21 Sun July 22

all about the eternal Life & Food in Venice, Guggenheim Museum a phone-video post- rejuvenation of plant with Peter, Sebastian and Vilnius, Lithuania, card from Brigitte life on mother Earth and Oona — are making plans …. Cornand, Betty (see March 28) 7 min. 10 sec. for the center of Friedan in conver- 5 min.06 sec. Europe …. sation with Ira — 7 min. 30 sec. 1 min. 40 sec.

29 Mon July 23 Tue July 24 Wed July 25

another chapter, Norman Mailer adventures of Zara introduces WILD 90 & Peter Beard Anthology, January 10 6 min. 54 sec. 1989 8 min. 58 sec.

77 Japanese drums under the Brooklyn Bridge – 7-07-07 I was among the lucky few who could not get in — 9 min. 07 sec.

Mon July 30 Tue July 31 Wed August 1 Thu August 2

Oona and Sebastian day by day guide to all summer bar three summers are good — images from an old days of July friends two cats to be lazy – lazy with notebook — 5 min. nothing important fullness of it all — 4 min. 41 sec. 7 min. 27 sec. 1 min. 32 sec.

Mon August 6 Tue August 7 Wed August 8 Thu August 9

ah! Capri! now you somewhere in Austria, this one is for Carrie a night ride chihuahua see it now you don’t! with Peter, we enjoy who was chosen by joke Phong joke saga and have you seen the the gifts of summer- angels to leave us so continued — color of Mediterrania? you should do the soon, so young – 7 min. 50 sec. here it is! same – 5 min. 33 sec. 4 min. 53 sec. 9 min. 56 sec.

30 Thu July 26 Fri July 27 Sat July 28 Sun July 29

Cinémathèque Nam June Paik B’way Peggy Ahwesh, Bei African dancers, Cape Française before @ Spring some five Dao, poetry, cinema, Cod – from an old its unforgivable years ago — Williamsburg — notebook — destruction — 6 min. 7 min. 31 sec. 6 min. 45 sec. 5 min. 54 sec.

Fri August 3 Sat August 4 Sun August 5

love story on A video postcard from Ludlow street – Virginie Marchand 2 min. 16 sec. 4 min. 4 sec.

Beatles reconsidered … Anastasia in a dazzling opening performance ! – more to come — 6 min. 44 sec.

Fri August 10 Sat August 11 Sun August 12

driving through a Lee Radziwill on Napoli street – her way to NYC, 3 min. 47 sec. summer, sunset, just a memory – 2 min. 28 sec.

a morning in Japan – 11 min. 58 sec.

31 Mon August 13 Tue August 14 Wed August 15 Thu August 16

rain, morning Japan on the plane reading with Kubelka, two we are in Paris, 3 min. 37 sec. Inazo Nitobe’s generals reminisce Hotel Ritz, hangout “Bushido, the Soul about old battles – of Marcel Proust – of Japan“ 9 min. 26 sec. (taping not allowed) – 3 min. 10 sec. 6 min. 02 sec.

Mon August 20 Tue August 21 Wed August 22

a brief revisit to Hiro a glimpse of Paris – Yamagata show – 1 min. 33 sec. N.Y.C. – 1 min. 49 sec.

an exercise in musical comedy with Auguste and Erica – 3 min. 32 sec.

Mon August 27 Tue August 28 Wed August 29 Thu August 30

a late night in wild strawberries in a video postcard from one more sit-pod with Williamsburg, Paris!!! Elle Burchill – a visit Benn, all about love — Brooklyn, with 5 min. 10 sec. to Joseph Cornell 9 min. 42 sec. Auguste – show — 13 min. 14 sec. 7 min. 10 sec.

32 Fri August 17 Sat August 18 Sun August 19

Gozo Yoshimasu at Sebastian plays work – Kabalevsky (School 4 min. 45 sec. for Strings) 7 min. 55 sec.

Sun brunch visit to good old friends in Red Hook, Brooklyn – 8 min. 25 sec.

Thu August 23 Fri August 24 Sat August 25 Sun August 26

Harry makes me his with agnès some- i get stuck plane landing in Paris, mother’s soup to where in Antibes – don’t have anything meeting friends, help me to get rid of a there are places in the to give you jambon cold — my thanks to world where people talk nonsense 7 min. 13 sec. Michael for a great are still singing 6 min. 46 sec. song — 6 min. 30 sec. 4 min. 56 sec.

Fri August 31 Sat September 1 Sun September 2

day-by-day notes on Back in Paris, Belly all days of August – Dancing adventure — 5 min. 55 sec. 4 min. 48 sec.

myself, in my “animation studio,” shooting the titles for the 365 Day project — 3 min. 42 sec.

33 Mon September 3 Tue September 4 Wed September 5

I tell about my visit to Birthday of Antonin Fatima — Fatima Artaud – I read one of candle burning — his mad texts – 4 min. 56 sec. 7 min. 27 sec.

Zoe Lund talks about her rats, beautiful rats — 5 min. 48 sec.

Mon September 10 Tue September 11 Wed September 12

9/11 as seen from my three friends, lost roof 491 Broadway — in the woods of 5 min. 03 sec. Willisau, drink to James Joyce — 8 min. 55 sec.

Himalayas music band celebrates the town of Willisau — 8 min. 47 sec.

Mon September 17 Tue September 18 Wed September 19

Day Three of Scenes no, never enough of from the Life of Maxi, Venice! Anthology’s cat — 3 min. 28 sec. 6 min. 08 sec.

another segment of the continuing saga starring Benn – about poetry, about lying, and shouting – 12 min. 19 sec.

34 Thu September 6 Fri September 7 Sat September 8 Sun September 9

I am in Avignon, while in Hamburg, a promo for his just I go to Willisau Jazz reading, watching a Benn visits Peter completed film on Fla- Festival (Swiss) with little fat bird, chirping Sempel and sends me menco from Peter the Himalayas band happilly — this video postcard — Sempel — 3 min. 32 (Zebulon) — 5 min. 34 sec. 6 min. 02 sec. sec. 6 min. 06 sec.

Thu September 13 Fri September 14 Sat September 15 Sun September 16

Shigeko Kubota’s In Avignon, a lesson in Maxi, sweet Maxi, Day Two of Scenes show opens at Maya the art of serving Anthology’s cat, From the Life of Maxi, Stendhal Gallery - cheeses — she is sick, Maxi — Anthology’s cat — 6 min. 01 sec. 4 min. 24 sec. 9 min. 57 sec. 7 min. 24 sec.

Thu September 20 Fri September 21 Sat September 22 Sun September 23

all about the miserable Kubelka, cigar, and the It’s all very quiet and McGolrick Park, glory of past empires political correctness — the sky is blue by the Greenpoint, Brooklyn, & churches 2 min. 39 sec. East River, on this last on autumn Equinox 4 min. 04 sec. day of summer — day — 3 min. 47 sec. 2 min. 24 sec.

35 Mon September 24 Tue September 25 Wed September 26

Final segment on In my editing room Maxi, the cat of I reminisce about my Anthology – early years in New 2 min. 56 sec. York – Alfred Leslie, Diane Arbus, Frank Kuenstler – 5 min. 47 sec.

glimpses of Lake Maggiore – 4 min. 55 sec.

Mon October 1 Tue October 2 Wed October 3 Thu October 4

Phong, Raimund about two trees in Nam June Paik books on Driggs and myself, we are front of 80 Wooster performs on Sixth Ave. Avenue, Williamsburg, discussing a serious Street Manhattan & 42nd Street (2002) Brooklyn — subject — 7 min. 18 sec. 7 min. 33 sec. 3 min. 7 min. 43 sec.

Mon October 8 Tue October 9 Wed October 10

an e-mail from Oona two moments from re. mindful eating and the Fluxus evening at mindful walking — Anthology November 2 min. 48 sec. 1992: paper planes & Origami event (Sebastian) – 5 min. 29 sec.

Sonic Youth at St. Anne’s play to Harry Smith’s EARLY ABSTRACTIONS – 9 min. 28 sec.

36 Thu September 27 Fri September 28 Sat September 29 Sun September 30

cicadas In Nyon, Switzerland, about Godard, too day-by-day brief cicadas in a hotel room, a much mail, and descriptions of all days Avignon travelling independent what I learned from of September 5 min. 41 sec. film-maker enjoys Goethe — 6 min. 55 sec. his meal – 4 min. 14 sec. 10 min. 22 sec.

Fri October 5 Sat October 6 Sun October 7

the game of a window, a tree, reincarnation — wind, hotel, 3 min. 45 sec. Avignon — 2 min. 45 sec.

I am in Naples. I wake up to see a stray dog in my room with a broken leg. 4 min. 16 sec.

Thu October 11 Fri October 12 Sat October 13 Sun October 14

Autumn on Mulberry rain a video postcard from a video postcard street. Shannon. lightning Pola Chapelle – with from Adolfas – John Cohen, at Soho Adolfas, my brother, Pola Chapelle & Anthology, sings the 8 min. 10 sec. she visits Kostas, my Arturas Zuokas, cuckoo song – other brother, in adventuresome 6 min. 50 sec. Lithuania – former mayor 7 min. 08 sec. of Vilnius, enjoy Segway – 3 min. 52 sec.

37 Mon October 15 Tue October 16 Wed October 17 Thu October 18

a video postcard from the very top of scenes from my life — Ben Vautier in Nice – Pola and Adolfas – Naples – flowers – Williamsburg – about Vigo, glimpses of Vilnius, Morra’s wine cellar — Brooklyn – autumn – Apollinaire, Lou, Lithuania — with Rasa friends — night – Nico – and Macˇiunas – as Virgil – 5 min. 43 sec. 4 min. 17 sec. 5 min. 01 sec. 7 min. 38 sec.

Mon October 22 Tue October 23 Wed October 24

Raha Raissnia and Lou Reed at Harry Dalius Naujo, film Smith Concert at performance St. Ann’s. and a 7 min. 24 sec. surprise from Glass- lands, Williamsburg – 8 min. 54 sec.

George and Mike Kuchars interviewed by John Waters Nov. 2004 NY Film Festival 6 min. 01 sec.

Mon October 29 Tue October 30 Wed October 31

at agnès b, an old brief summary of all Chinese dictionary days of October — reveals secrets of 6 min. 20 sec. Gregorian chants – 10 min. 44 sec.

Halloween in Greenpoint, Brooklyn — 2 min. 33 sec.

38 Fri October 19 Sat October 20 Sun October 21

Ellsworth Kelly, Benn listens to the Jamina Nash (11!) and radio — children of IMPACT 2 min. 12 sec. Theatre at Americans for the Arts National Arts Awards 9 min. 33 sec. in a Zürich bar Valentin Ralchev (from Sofia, Bulgaria) has a good time with old pop — 4 min. 49 sec.

Thu October 25 Fri October 26 Sat October 27 Sun October 28

to do good is normal; a video postcard Peter Kubelka and Kubelka on Apollinaire to do bad from the Imago myself at Re:Voir/ and translations – and is not normal – Independent Film The Film Gallery/ a few other things – 2 min. 28 sec. Festival, Fundão, agnès b. exhibition 11 min. 31 sec. Portugal — space at Fiac, Paris 5 min. 7 min. 06 sec.

Thu November 1 Fri November 2 Sat November 3 Sun November 4

scenes from Paris – in Paris, at the bar Oona and Sebastian footage from ten years a “fitting” session Au Passage, we watch rehearse Haydn – long ago – In Uz˙upis at agnès b. working France lose rugby to ago – Happy Birthday (Vilnius) we celebrate studio – and other Argentina – to Oona! Lithuania’s independ- scenes – 5 min. 27 sec. 4 min. 22 sec. ence – 3 min. 41 sec. 4 min. 24 sec.

39 Mon November 5 Tue November 6 Wed November 7 Thu November 8

subway drummers, this is the final I cook, I dance, a drink with Hans Union Square station, installment on Maxi, I write haikus — Ulrich Obrist, Salman New York – Anthology’s cat — 3 min. 10 sec. Rushdie, and a 3 min. 59 sec. 5 min. 33 sec. celebration of the fruits of summer — 6 min. 44 sec.

Mon November 12 Tue November 13 Wed November 14

Vytautas Landsbergis, late evening in Vilnius, who made Gorbachev listening to old blink, plays piano Lithuanian songs, etudes by Cˇiurlionis. revived from old Vilnius. notations — you sang 4 min. 52 sec. it so beautifully — 5 min. 34 sec.

in Paris, in Jean-Chris’s studio, we fool around 5 min. 25 sec.

Mon November 19 Tue November 20 Wed November 21 Thu November 22

a funny story … American Federation Gennady Aygi reads thanksgiving something different — of Arts honors his poetry Sept. 23 sequence from 5 min. Frank O. Gehry — 2003 491 B’way Hallelujah the Hills a 4 min. 31 sec. (get his new book at film by Adolfas Mekas New Directions!) 2 min. 37 sec. 9 min. 16 sec.

40 Fri November 9 Sat November 10 Sun November 11

At the openning of Vilnius through a hotel Jonas Mekas Visual window. Snow comes Arts center, Vilnius, to Vilnius. The fake Lithuania, Ben Vautier winter of Edward presents a Fluxus Zwick filming music program – DEFIANCE. 15 min. 4 min. 03 sec.

I received a video postcard from Dominique Dubosc. Here it is 8 min. 12 sec.

Thu November 15 Fri November 16 Sat November 17 Sun November 18

While in Lithuania, I have a date with the Jonas Mekas Visual from the outtakes – i receive back my President of Lithuania, Arts Center opens Yoko Ono, Lithuanian citizen- Vladas Adamkus — in Vilnius — John Lennon, ship – very serious 5 min. 24 sec. 15 min. 22 sec. myself — business … 3 min. 35 sec. 6 min. 24 min.

Fri November 23 Sat November 24 Sun November 25

msc daily tapings of a visit to Nijole Valaitis, little importance sister of George 6 min. 17 sec. Macˇiu¯nas – 7 min. 25 sec.

hand clapping game 5 min. 43 sec.

41 Mon November 26 Tue November 27 Wed November 28

a poem by a song for Petrarca — Harry Smith for his 2 min. 34 sec. birthday — 7 min.

something about hard times … John McGettrick, Boris Lehman, autumn — sketch — 5 min. 09 sec.

Mon December 3 Tue December 4 Wed December 5

Norman Mailer speaks train ride – Hudson about himself, politics River – Oona learning cinema – lines of the play – 11 min. 23 min. 4 min. 32 sec.

on tourism as a form of modern-day Zen …… 5 min. 58 sec.

Mon December 10 Tue December 11 Wed December 12 Thu December 13

cross-country skiing meeting old and new Opening of the Louis Malle guides in Saddleback upstate friends – Kardish, Kilb, New Museum us through Lumière NY Koppa, Jurga – New York City films — 6 min. 22 sec. 9 min. 55 sec. 7 min. 40 sec. 14 min. 24 sec.

42 Thu November 29 Fri November 30 Sat December 1 Sun December 2

we celebrate end brief summaries of all Ben Vautier comments Ben Vautier comments of November days of November — on his early Fluxus on his early Fluxus 3 min. 31 sec. 4 min. 57 sec. performances in Nice performances, Part.2 7 min. 31 sec. 8 min. 59 sec.

Thu December 6 Fri December 7 Sat December 8 Sun December 9

Oona bravely faces Norman Mailer on life welcome back, Sebastian, Kubelka, attackers …… all after death … and the Imus!!!! and a French speaking about Los Angeles. art of novel (fiction 3 min. 30 sec. dog — America and India – versus facts) – 3 min. 10 sec. and why we should 6 min. 33 sec. never cut down oak trees – 9 min. 03 sec.

Fri December 14 Sat December 15 Sun December 16

With Sebastian we a jam session with spend a strange night Harmony Korine in the house of & friends Nostrodamus 3 min. 39 sec. (St-Rémy, France) – 6 min. 21 sec.

On Beethoven’s birthday, August, Erica, and Rimbaud — 10 min. 21 sec.

43 Mon December 17 Tue December 18 Wed December 19 Thu December 20

a video postcard from a video postcard from Kubelka and Sebastian night bar Nick Zedd Keith Sanborn with Elle Burchill – Miami, enjoy a meal in and Phong’s Ashbery love from Russia art circus goes on – the company of joke — 1 min. 45 sec. 6 min. 12 sec. lobsters — 5 min. 08 min. 6 min.

Mon December 24 Tue December 25 Wed December 26

I celebrate my birthday a glimpse of Au Revoir by telling something Parapluie at BAM, about myself — with James Thiérrée, 20 min. 07 sec. Kaori Ito — light and happy — 6 min. 50 sec.

Raimund cooks a piglet and joyously treats his friends on Christmas day — 7 min. 37 sec.

Mon December 31

brief summaries of all days of December — 4 min. 40 sec.

44 Fri December 21 Sat December 22 Sun December 23

at Grace Space Bush- Christmas in wick, B’klyn I Want Hollywood, with to be Sweet to You — Arnold you know 3 min. 13 sec. who as Santa — 3 min. 27 sec.

we cut across McCarren Park on our way to Pete’s Candy Store – in heavy rain – filmed by Benn — 4 min. 52 sec.

Thu December 27 Fri December 28 Sat December 29 Sun December 30

In search of Andy a tequila with Kaori Anthology celebrates I close the 365 Day Warhol’s Factory! line-up of planets New Year (footage Project and announce 6 min. 11 sec. & my birthday from the Golden Age the 1001 Nights 8 min. 13 sec. of Anthology) – Project — HASTA 6 min. 15 sec. LA VISTA! — 4 min. 54 sec.

45 Jonas Mekas 7 Projekte / 7 Projects 1966–2014

WTC Haikus Self-Portrait Introduction to the Karlsruhe Show Reminiszenzen aus Deutschland Birth of a Nation Cassis Destruction Quartet WTC Haikus

2010, 14’ Video und 16-mm-Film auf Digitalvideo Farbe, Ton / Analog video and 16mm film transferred to digital video, color, sound

Als besonders eindrückliche Demonstration des Prinzips des »re-use« im Werk von Jonas Mekas muss WTC Haikus gelten. Die Arbeit ist ein scheinbar arbiträrer Zusam- menschnitt von Fragmenten aus Mekas’ Filmen und Videos der Jahre 1975–1995. Das Kompositionsverfahren erschließt sich erst nach einiger Zeit: WTC Haikus versam- melt nahezu sämtliche von Mekas jemals bewusst oder unbewusst angefertigten Aufnahmen des heute zerstörten World Trade Centers. Die historische, mediale und koginitve Wahrnehmung des Betrachters steht plötzlich auf dem Prüfstand. »Das Ergebnis kam«, schreibt Mekas, »obgleich indirekt, dem nahe, was in der Dichtung als Haiku bekannt ist.« Musik: August Varkalis.

A remarkable demonstration of Mekas’ technique of “re-use” is WTC Haikus. At first, the work seems to be an arbitray mon- tage of fragments from Mekas’ films and videos between 1975 and 1995, as the prin- ciple of composition becomes visible only after some time: WTC Haikus assembles all or nearly all of Mekas intentionally and unintentionally filmed shots of the now destroyed World Trade Center in New York. Suddenly, the historical, medial and cogni- tive perception of the viewer is questioned. “The result I felt came close,” Mekas writes, “albeit indirectly, to what in poetry is known as the haiku.” Music: August Varkalis.

46 Self-Portrait Introduction to the Karlsruhe Show

1980, 20’ July 2014, 7’18 Video auf Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton Analog video transferred to digital video, Digital video, color, sound color, sound 34 Jahre nach Self-Portrait, im Juli 2014, »In Self Portrait sehen wir Mekas, wie er an dreht Jonas Mekas dieses Video, in dem einem heißen Maitag im Hofe eines Hauses er über seine Arbeit am 365 Day Project in St. Paul eine Dose Bier trinkt, auf dem spricht, als Einführung in die Ausstellung. Kopf einen braunen Hut, den er in New York auf der Straße gefunden hat. Er redet über 34 years after Self-Portrait, in the month die richtige Aussprache seines litauischen of July, 2014, Jonas Mekas tapes himself Namens, über die Frage, ob die Kamera talking about his work on the 365 Day jemals lügt und über seine eigenen Arbeiten Project as an introduction to the exhibition. als Filmemacher. Self Portrait, das sind ein- nehmende Minuten mit einem Mann von ausgesuchter Überzeugungskraft und Leidenschaftlichkeit.« Vincent Canby, The New York Times, 7. Juni 1990

“In Self Portrait, Mr. Mekas, wearing the brown hat that he found in a New York street, drinks a can of beer in the yard of a house in St. Paul on a hot may day. He talks about the correct pronounciation of his Lithuanian name, about whether the camera ever lies, and about his own work as a film diarist. Self Portrait is a most engaging few minutes with a man of particular substance and passions.” Vincent Canby, The New York Times, June 7, 1990

47 Reminiszenzen aus Deutschland Birth of a Nation

2012, 25’ 2007, 85’ Video und 16-mm-Film auf Digitalvideo, 16-mm-Film auf Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton Farbe, Ton / Analog video and 16mm film 16mm film transferred to digital video, transferred to digital video, color, sound color, sound

»Der Film ist der Versuch einer kurzen Ein- Installation, 4 Projektionen führung in meine Zeit in Deutschland, von Installation, 4 projections (2014) Juli 1944 bis Oktober 1949. Mit Hilfe von Fotos aus diesen Jahren, aufgenommen von »Einhundertsiebzig Portraits, Auftritte, mir und meinem Bruder Adolfas und Film- Skizzen von und flüchtige Blicke auf un- bzw. Videomaterial aus den Jahren 1971 abhängige Filmemacher, Avantgardefilmer und 1993 kehre ich nach Elmshorn, Flens- und Aktivisten zwischen 1955 und 1996. burg, Wiesbaden, Mainz und Kassel zurück, Warum Birth of a Nation? Weil die Kino- wo ich fünf Jahre meines Lebens verbrachte avantgarde eine eigene Nation ist, umgeben – zunächst als Zwangsarbeiter in einem vom Kommerz wie die Ureinwohner Ameri- Kriegsgefangenenlager, später als Displaced kas oder jedes anderen Landes umgeben Person in einem Displaced Persons Camp. sind von den herrschenden Mächten. Wir Die Tonspur besteht aus kurzen Ausschnit- sind die unsichtbare aber unverzichtbare ten aus meinen damaligen Tagebüchern, Nation des Kinos. Wir sind das Kino. Musik gegenwärtigen Reflexionen und Passagen von Wagner und Hermann Nitsch. Stimme: aus dem Werk von Wolfgang Jean Houston, aus einer Vorlesung zu Borchert.« Jonas Mekas Parzival.« Jonas Mekas

“This movie is my attempt to provide a brief introduction to the Germany period of my life, July 1944 to October 1949. Using origi- nal photos from that period, taken by myself and my brother Adolfas, and film/video foo- tage from 1971 and 1993, I revisit Elmshorn, Flensburg, Wiesbaden, Mainz and Kassel where I spent five years of my life – first as a Forced Laborer in a war prisoner’s camp, and later as a Displaced Person in displaced persons camps. The soundtrack consists of brief excerpts from my written diaries of that period, current reflections, and passages from the writings of Wolfgang Borchert.” Jonas Mekas

48 Birth of a Nation, credits

49 Cassis Destruction Quartet

1966, 4’ 2006, verschiedene Laufzeiten miscellaneous durations 16-mm-Film auf Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton 16mm film transferred to digital video, color, Digitalvideo, Farbe, Ton sound Digital video, color, sound

Auf Besuch bei Jerome Hill in Cassis, Süd- Installation, 4 Monitore frankreich, bindet Jonas Mekas seine Bolex- Installation, 4 screens, Kamera, in Ermangelung eines Stativs an den Balkon und nimmt alle paar Minuten ein Der Übergang von der »single channel«- Bild auf. Inspiriert von Seurat und Cézanne Form des Kinos zur »multi-channel«-Form komponiert er Licht und Belichtung zu einer der Installation war für Jonas Mekas vierminütigen Sequenz, die die Essenz der zunächst als pragmatische Möglichkeit Landschaft einfängt. gedacht, bisher unveröffentlichtes Material Visiting Jerome Hill in Cassis, in the south of zugänglich zu machen, ohne es in eine France, Jonas Mekas straps his Bolex cam- Reihenfolge zwängen zu müssen. Durch era to the balcony and records a frame every die Gleichzeitigkeit des Materials in der couple of minutes. Inspired by the paintings Installation, insbesondere in der Quartet- of Seurat and Cézanne, he composes a four tform kontextualisiert das Material sich minute sequence with light and exposure gewissermaßen selbst und lässt ungeahnte that manages to capture the landscape’s Diagonalen sichtbar werden. Wie in Georg very essence. Cantors Diagonalverfahren generiert die bloße Anordnung Material im Wortsinne zwischen den Zeilen. Für den Erfolg dieses Ansatzes spricht, das aus Mekas’ erstem installativen Versuch (Quartet Number One, 1991) eben doch ein Film entstand (As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty, 2000). In Destruction Quartet ist die Form nun gereift und dient vor allem dazu, wie so oft bei Mekas, die Grenzen zwischen Erlebtem, Gefilmtem und Gedachtem verschwimmen zu lassen. Wir sehen, als sich beständig gegeneinader ver- schiebende Loops, eine Performance von Nam Jun Paik, in der er ein Klavier zerstört, den Fall der Berliner Mauer, Danius Kesmi- nas’ Feuerskulptur (New York) Consequence

50 und Aufnahmen des 11. September 2001. Jonas Mekas Kunst und Leben, reale und symbolische 5 Kinofilme / 5 Feature Films Akte der Zerstörung bilden neue, hybride 1964–2000 Formen, quer durch die Zeit und über die Grenzen der Bildschirme hinweg.

For Mekas, the transition from the classic The Brig single-channel format of cinema to an 1964, 68' installative, multi-channel-format was at first 16mm / 35mm, b/w nothing more than a pragmatic way of pub- sound lishing previously unpublished footage with- out forcing it into a specific order. Through the concurrency of footage in the installa- tion, particularly in the quartet format, the Walden (Diaries, Notes, material contextualizes itself and renders and Sketches) 1969, 180' diagonal references visible. Like in Georg 16mm, b/w, color, Cantor’s diagonalization method, pure sound realignment generates new material, liter- ally, between the lines. The success of this method for Mekas is mirrored in the fact Reminiscences of a that his first try (Quartet Number One, 1991) Journey to Lithuania ultimately led to another film (As I Was Mov- 1972, 82' ing Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses 16mm, color, sound of Beauty, 2000). Developed further, in Destruction Quartet the installative format blurs the lines between experience, footage and imagination. We see, as continuously Lost Lost Lost 1976, 180' phasing loops, Nam Jum Paik destroying a 16mm, b/w, color, piano, the Berlin Wall coming down, Danius sound Kesminas’ fire sculpture (New York) Conse- quence and footage from September 11, 2001. From the collision of art and life, of real and symbolic acts of destruction As I Was Moving Ahead emerge hybrid forms, transgressing time Occasionally I Saw and the borders of the frame alike. Brief Glimpses of Beauty 2000, 288' 16mm, color, sound

Als Verbindung zu Jonas Mekas’ umfang- reichem filmischen Gesamtwerk zeigt das kleine »Kino« in der Ausstellung fünf von Mekas’ Langfilm-Meilensteinen in voller Länge, auswählbar über ein interaktives Ter- minal. Alle Filme werden als Übertragungen von 16-mm-Film auf Digitalvideo gezeigt. As a link to Jonas Mekas’ extensive filmo- graphy, the small “cinema” in the exhibition space shows five of Mekas’ feature film mile- stones, in full length and accessible through an interactive terminal. All films are trans- ferred from 16mm film to digital video.

51 Jonas Mekas: Films, Videos, Installations 1962–2014*

Guns of the Trees, 1962, 35mm, b/w, 87' A Walk, 1990, AV, color, 58' Film Magazine of the Arts, 1963, 16mm, b/w, Mob of Angels: A Baptism, 1990, AV, color, 20' color, 61' Award Presentation to Andy Warhol, 1964, Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol, 16mm, b/w, 12' [1965–82], 1990, 16mm, b/w, color, 35' Dalí Oster Newsreel, 1964, 16mm, b/w, 20' Dr. Carl G. Jung or Lapis Philosophorum, The Brig, 1964, 16mm / 35mm, b/w, 68' [1950], 1991, 16mm, b/w, 29' Cassis, 1966, 16mm, color, 4'30 Quartet Number One, [1974–85],1991, Hare Krishna, 1966, 16mm, color, 4' 16mm, color, 8' Notes on the Circus, 1966, 16mm, color, 12' The Education of Sebastian or Egypt Report from Millbrook, 1966, 16mm, Regained, 1992, AV, color, 228' color, 12' Zefiro Torna or Scenes from the Life of When, 1967, 16mm, color, silent, 2' George Maciunas, [1952–78], 1992, Time and Fortune Vietnam Newsreel, 1968, 16mm, b/w, color, 34' 16mm, color, 4' Imperfect 3-Image Films, 1995, 16mm, Walden (Diaries, Notes, and Sketches), color, 6' [1964–68], 1969, 16mm, b/w, color, 180' On my Way to Fujiyama I Met …, [1983/91], 1995, 16mm, color, 25' Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania, Cinema Is Not 100 Years Old, 1996, AV, 1972, 16mm, color, 82' color, 4' Lost Lost Lost, [1949–63], 1976, 16mm, Happy Birthday to John, 1996, 16mm, b/w, b/w, color, 180' color, 24' In Between, [1964–68], 1978, 16mm, Memories of Frankenstein, [1966], 1996, b/w, color, 52' 16mm, b/w, 95' Notes for Jerome, [1966 /67/74], 1978, Video Diaries, [1987–95], 1996, AV 16mm, color, 45' (Installation, 8 Monitore / 8 screens), Paradise Not Yet Lost (aka Oona’s Third Year), misc. 1979, 16mm, color, 96' Birth of a Nation, 1997, 16mm, b/w, color, 85' Robert Haller’s Wedding, 1980, 16mm, Letter from Nowhere – Laisˇkai isˇ niekur N.1, color, 2'30 1997, AV, color, 75' Self-Portrait, 1980, AV, 20' Letters to Friends ... From Nowhere ... Video Cup/Saucer/Two Dancers/Radio, [1965], Letter #1, 1997, AV, color, 88' 1983, 16mm, b/w, 23' Scenes from Allen's Last Three Days on Earth Erick Hawkins: Excerpts from “Here and as a Spirit, 1997, AV, color, 67' Now with Watchers” / Lucia Dlugoszewski Song of Avignon, 1998, 16mm, color, 8'30 Performs, [1963], 1983, 16mm, b/w, 6' A Few Notes on the Factory, 1999, AV, Street Songs [1966], 1983, 16mm, b/w, color, 64' 10'30 Laboratorium Anthology, 1999, AV, color, 63' He Stands in a Desert Counting the Seconds Notes on Film Maker’s Cooperative, 1999, of His Life, [1969–84], 1985, 16mm, AV, color, 40' color, 150' This Side of Paradise: Fragments of an Unfinished Biography, 1999, 16mm, color, 35'

* Nach / based on: Pip Chodorov (ed.): Jonas Mekas. Films, videos, installations 1962–2012. Catalogue raisonné. Paris: Paris Expérimental, 2012.

52 As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw The First Forty, 2006, 16mm / AV / DV, b/w, Brief Glimpses of Beauty, [1970–99], 2000, color, 193' 16mm, color, 288' 365 Day Project, 2007, DV, 2280' Autobiography of a Man Who Carried His Birth of a Nation, 2008, 16mm / DV Memory in His Eyes, 2000, AV, color, 53' (Installation, 4 Monitore / 4 screens), 85' Mozart & Wien and Elvis, 2000, 16mm / Lithuania and the Collapse of the USSR, 35mm, color, 3' 2008, AV / DV, 289' Remedy for Melancholy, 2000, AV, color, 20' Quartets aka “The Beast,” 2008, 16mm / Requiem for a Manual Typewriter, 2000, AV, AV / DV (Installation, 16 Monitore / color, 19' 16 screens), misc. Rillettes, 2000, AV (Installation, 8 Monitore / The Education of Sebastian or Egypt 8 screens), misc. Regained, 2008, AV / DV (Installation, Silence, Please, 2000, AV, color, 6' 4 Monitore / 4 screens), 300' A Letter to Penny Arcade, 2001, AV, color, Warhol/Maciunas, 2008, 16mm / DV 14'30 (Installation, 9 Monitore / 9 screens), misc. Ein Märchen aus alten Zeiten, 2001, AV, 365 Day Project, 2009, DV (Installation, color, 6' 12 Monitore / 12 screens), 2280' Ar Buvo Karas? Was there a War?, [1949–52], I Leave Chelsea Hotel, [1967], 2009, 2002, 16mm / DV, b/w, 149' 16mm / DV, b/w, 4' Mysteries, [1966], 2002, 16mm, b/w, 34' Williamsburg, Brooklyn, [1950/72], 2002, A Daydream, 2010, DV, color, 0'42 16mm, b/w, color, silent, 15' Cassis, [1966], 2010, 16mm / DV A Visit to Hans Richter, [1967], 2003, (Installation, 4 Monitore / 4 screens), misc. 16mm, 9' Orchard Street, [1953/67], 2010, 16mm / DV Dedication to Fernand Léger, [1987–95], (Installation), b/w, color, 1' 2003, AV (Installation, 12 Monitore / WTC Haikus, 2010, 16mm / DV, 14' 12 screens), 1720' Correspondences: Jonas Mekas–José Luis Travel Songs, [1967–81), 2003, 16mm, Guerín, 2011, DV, color, 100' silent, 28' First Class Flight, 2011, DV, color, 18'50 A Letter from Greenpoint, 2004, DV, color, 80' Keep Singing, 2011, DV, color, 82' Farewell to ShoHo, 2004, 16mm / AV / DV Mt. Ventoux, 2011, DV, color, 3'11 (Installation, 4 Monitore / 4 screens), misc. My Mars Bar Movie, 2011, DV, color, 87' Father and Daughter, 2005, DV, color, 4'30 My Paris Movie, 2011, DV, color, 159' Notes on an American Film Director at Work: Re: Maciunas & Fluxus, 2011, 16mm / AV / Martin Scorsese, 2005, DV, color, 80' DV, color, 87' Notes on Utopia, 2005, AV / DV, 55' Sleepless Night Stories, 2011, DV, color, 114' Scenes from the Life of Hermann Nitsch, Reminiszenzen aus Deutschland, [1971/93] 2005, 16mm / AV (Installation, 2012, 16mm / AV / DV, color, 25' 4 Monitore / 4 screens), 58' Outtakes from the Life of a Happy Man, 2012 Travel Songs, 2005, 16mm / DV (Installation, 365 Day Project, 2014, DV (Installation, 4 Monitore / 4 screens), misc. 52 Monitore / 52 screens), b/w, color, Destruction Quartet, [1990–2001], 2006, AV 2280' (Installation, 4 Monitore / 4 screens), misc.

Abbreviations / Abkürzungen b/w black/white / schwarz/weiß misc. miscellanous durations / verschiedene Laufzeiten AV analog video / Video [ ] in square brackets: years of filming DV digital video / Digitalvideo in eckigen Klammern: Jahre der Aufnahmen

53 Jonas Mekas. 365 Day Project

ZKM | Medienmuseum, 26.Juli– 9. November 2014 ZKM | Media Museum, July 26–November 9, 2014

Ausstellung / Exhibition Broschüre / Booklet

Kuratiert von / Curated by Redaktion und Lektorat / Editor Fabian Offert, Bernhard Serexhe Fabian Offert Gestaltung / Design Projektleitung / Project management Holger Jost Fabian Offert Übersetzung / Translation Aufbauleitung / Construction management Anna Schewelew Heiko Hoos Druck / Printing Leitung Museumstechnik / Technical management E&B engelhardt und bauer, Karlsruhe Stefan Wessels Team Museumstechnik / Technical staff Volker Becker, Claudius Boehm, Mirco Fraß, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Rainer Gabler, Gregor Gaissmaier, Ronald Haas, Medientechnologie Karlsruhe Dirk Heesakker, Werner Hutzenlaub, Christof Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe Hierholzer, Alexandra Kempf, Gisbert Laaber, Lorenzstr. 19 Marco Preitschopf 76135 Karlsruhe (Germany) Ausstellungsgrafik / Graphic design www.zkm.de Holger Jost Mediathek / Media library Vorstand / Director Claudia Gehrig, Hartmut Jörg Peter Weibel Videoaufbereitung / Video editing Geschäftsführerin / General Manager Andreas Brehmer Christiane Riedel Museumskommunikation / Communication Verwaltungsleiter / Head of Administration Janine Burger, Banu Beyer, Maxie Götze, Boris Kirchner Justin Humm, Kristina Sinn, Marianne Spencer Event Viola Gaiser, Wolfgang Knapp, Manuel Weber, Monika Weimer, Hartmut Brückner, Hans Gass Sekretariat / Assistance Elke Cordell Presse und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit / Public relations Dominika Szope, Siemke Hanssen, Regina Hock, Ann-Kathrin Johner, Verena Noack, Julia Wicky

Besonderer Dank an / Special thanks to Jonas Mekas Sebastian Mekas Elle Burchill Anthology Film Archives, New York (anthologyfilmarchives.org)

54 Jonas Mekas: 365 Day Project

Installationansicht ZKM | Medienmuseum Installation view ZKM | Media Museum

→ January 1 – March 26 – January 7 April 1

October 1 – → December 24 – October 7 December 31

55 ZKM | Medienmuseum, 26. Juli–9. November 2014 ZKM | Media Museum, July 26–November 11, 2014