Jonas MekasJUST LIKE A SHADOW

As editor of Film Culture and founder of the Anthology Film Archives, and through his own films, Mekas shaped an art form that had a wide influence on mainstream movies, video art, and web design. His own works are visual diaries in a staccato style, fully edited within the camera. This book consists solely of about 150 pages of enlarged frames from Mekas's films, along with a brief interview in which the 78-year-old Lithuanian-born artist reflects on his career. Presented as static images, the frame blowups at times resemble fuzzier, less-evocative iterations of Cindy Sherman's pictures. There are numerous familiar faces repeated throughout (John and Yoko, Taylor Mead, Lee Radziwill, and, ad nauseum, Andy Warhol), the cumulative effect of which isAsomewhat inaccuratelyAto circumscribe Mekas within very specific cultural terrain and make this book little more than a scrapbook. At best, this book lets film/video artists see a little of an early master's films; at worst, it's a record of some pretty unmemorable imagery and a catalog of Mekas's circle of friends during his relatively brief heyday. Useful only for those libraries specializing in film or video art.ADouglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., CA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.