Reel to Reel -to Jonas Mekas- by Chihiro ITO

Embracing the enduring legacy of Jonas Mekas, a visionary who dedicated his life to democratizing film, media, and art, the Monira Foundation and the Jonas Mekas Studio welcomed Chihiro Ito for a six-month-supported Residency and Fellowship in which he worked to support Sebastian Mekas in enhancing the archives and to create new works inspired by that archive. With unwavering commitment, Ito delves into the studio’s rich repository, collaborating with Sebastian Mekas to preserve archival treasures and craft new artistic marvels for ‘Reel to Reel – Jonas Mekas.’ Each week, he immerses himself in the studio’s treasures, infusing them with new life and meaning. ‘

The concept of this project is to bring the archive materials to life in the present through my reinterpretation. Jonas’s spirit continues even after his passing, much like how a film moves from one reel to another,’ – Chihiro.

This exhibition is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the artist:
Chihiro ITO is a Japanese painter and multi-media artist. He was born in Tokyo where studied painting at Musashino Art University, also He took a continuing education writing course at the School of Visual Arts. He was an invited artist at European Capital of Culture events in Portugal, Cyprus, and Serbia. In 2018, he received a grant from the Japanese government to come to the US, where he began documenting the remaining living artists associated with Fluxus. He encountered the Artist Jonas Mekas during his NYC visit. After these experiences, he began to make experimental films and poetry. He is the recipient of a Holbein award (2017), an NYFA grant (2021), a Robert Rauschenberg Foundation grant (2021), an award from Monira Foundation(2022),