Exhibition

The exhibition “Everything is a Beginning” delves into the uniquely vibrant music world of Jonas Mekas, presenting video recordings of his improvised performances alongside a journey through the sounds that shaped him – from the countryside folk music of his childhood to the friendships and contemporary influences that guided him later in life. A celebration of his music and its roots.

“My father had a good ear. Born into a village family in Aukštaitija, he was surrounded by song. All the children played some instrument – the accordion, the mandolin, the daudytė. For a few years he played the violin. “I was playing and playing. So everyone began making jokes about me and they began calling me Paganini. That became so annoying that I eventually stopped playing.” But music persisted – from his early years of exile in New York listening to the classic American vocalists of the ‘50s, to organizing the early concerts of notable composers like Philip Glass, La Monte Young and Hermann Nitsch. Throughout were inspirations by close compatriots like George Mačiūnas and Leonas Lėtas, as well as eclectic American polymaths such as Harry Smith and Stan Brakhage. “ – Sebastian Mekas

This exhibition presents some of these friendships and early influences. Moreover it shows Jonas Mekas in his later years, when he took to the microphone and took chances improvising with his own lines of verse, together with the incredibly talented musicians that welcomed him as part of their band.

Curator: Sebastian Mekas

The exhibition will run until March 3, 2025

Partner: Jonas Mekas Estate

Visual identity: Ineta Armanavičiūtė