Monira Foundation Presents Jonas Mekas Centennial Celebration

Monira Foundation to Honor Jonas Mekas in Year-Long Centennial Celebration

100 years from the year of his birth, Monira Foundation will host a year-long exhibition and film screening series dedicated to the life and inspirations of Jonas Mekas

JERSEY CITY, NJ – Saturday, February 12th, 2022. Monira Foundation is pleased to announce the Centennial Celebration of Jonas Mekas– a year long celebration of the life and work of Jonas Mekas. Through closely curated film screenings and exhibitions presented each month, multiple facets of Mekas’ practice will be illuminated through the eyes of those who knew him well and admired him deeply. The screenings are free to the public and will take place in the Jonas Mekas Studio, a replica of the artist’s workspace installed at Mana Contemporary.

The year of programming is composed of four curated seasons of three months long. Curators include Lukas Brasiskis and Inesa Brašiškė, MM Serra with the Film-makers’ Coop, Phong Bui and Sebastian Mekas. Each month will present a new program exploring Mekas’ creative life through his nurtured friendships, strong belief in the freedom of artistic expression and poetry of the quotidian. Support for the programming comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Lithuanian Culture Institute, and Mana Contemporary. 

Following the February 12th premiere, two new programs debut: “In Defense of Artistic Freedom: Infamous Surprise Program” on March 12th, 2022, which will highlight Mekas’ support of artistic expression and anti-censorship; and April 9th “Filmmaking as Taking Notes. Poetry of the Mundane in films by Marie Menken and Jonas Mekas” which will highlight Mekas’ love of poetry and the work of Marie Menken. Reservations to attend can be made online: https://monirafoundation.org/exhibitions-centennial-celebration-of-jonas-mekas/

About Monira Foundation: 

Monira Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution, functions as a radical experimental laboratory, working in close collaboration with artists, curators, musicians, producers, and writers to conceive, realize, and present innovative projects in all media. Its aim is to spark, intensify, and promote an evolving cultural and social dialogue between creators, audiences, and institutions. Focusing on the unique potential of interdisciplinary work in a context distinct from the distracting pressures of academia and the market, Monira Foundation advances the practices and products of today’s foremost artists, amplifying their contributions to communities both local and distant. 

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For images, press tickets, or to schedule an interview with Sebastian Mekas, please email Ysabel Pinyol Blasi: ysabel@monirafoundation.org. Visit the Monira Foundation website at: www.monirafoundation.org. Social: @monirafoundation #monirafoundation. Monira Foundation is located at 888 Newark Ave., Ste 440, Jersey City, NJ 07306.

Download Jonas Mekas Image here. Courtesy of Monira Foundation and Jonas Mekas Studio.