Paul J Sharits


	HOME Join us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/paul.sharits Paul Jeffrey Sharits (1943-1993) American avante-garde “experimental” filmmaker, artist, and professor of media studies, Paul Sharits, was born in Denver, Colorado on February 7 th , 1943 and, with seemly insurmountable obstacles, he quietly took his own life on July 8 th , 1993 in Buffalo, New York. He is survived by his son Christopher, his wife, and his three boys. This website is written and maintained by Christopher Sharits in an effort to support Paul's continued career and to provide academic resources. This is Paul's website. Much of the questions about his films are taken, in his own words, from books, notes, and interviews. If you have found any corrections, misprints, or contributions, please contact Christopher at csharits@comcast.net Artistic Genre: By definition, avant-garde is a term used to describe any group, particularly artists, who are considered to be innovative pioneers pushing the boundaries of what is considered normal. Prime examples of avant-garde artists include the painter Pablo Picasso, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, jazz musician Duke Ellington, and contemporary bands like Sonic Youth. “Experimental,” as it pertains to experimental film, describes a range of filmmaking that separates from traditional cinema to films that tend to lack linear narratives and utilizes various abstract, impressionistic, poetic, and, often, distorted images or structural manipulation of the film itself like scratches, burns, and flicker. Many experimental films are either silent or use asynchronous sounds. Many of Paul's drawings, written work, poetry, and film were part of the 1960's “Fluxus” movement. The word or term “Fluxus” has its origins in the Latin word meaning “to flow.” The concept of “flowing” work came to include an international group of artists and performers who explored media ranging from performance art to poetry to experimental music to film. The movement itself encouraged works that value simplicity over complexity and encompassed objects that exceeded the bounds of the advantaged by embracing art that wasn't art. A prime example of Fluxus is the Fluxus boxes or “Fluxkits” that were originated by George Maciunas, who coined the term “Fluxus.” Maciunas took wooden boxes, about 6”x6”x3”, with black block lettering and designs with a block lid that opened up to an odd collection of printed cards, games, plastic fruit, and, my personal favorite, a personal film looper/viewer with various film loops.* While Paul contributed “Fluxus” drawings and films, he also included or tried to include performance/object art like his 1992 resignation letter to The University of Buffalo where Paul had held the position of professor for over 20 years. Oddly enough and tragically, the University failed to see the “Fluxus” quality of his letter and accepted his resignation. Examples of Fluxus films from artists such as Yoko Ono, George Maciunas, Robert Watts, Nam June Paik, Chieko Shiomi, and, of course, Paul Sharits can be found at http://www.ubu.com/film/fluxfilm.html On behalf of the Sharits and Romeo Families, Thank you for your support and patronage, Christopher Sharits the drawing “Passare III #7 (after Sonic Youth:16-19) is on-loan to the “Sonic Youth ect.:Sensational Fix” traveling exhibition currently in Europe. *As a youth, Paul gave me (Christopher) a Fluxkit and I played with it not knowing it was valuable. After my dad's death it was acquired by Barbara Moore who donated her extensive Fluxus collection to Harvard's Fogg Museum. Last updated 08/24/2010

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Join us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/paul.sharits

Paul Jeffrey Sharits (1943-1993)

American avante-garde “experimental” filmmaker, artist, and professor of media studies, Paul Sharits, was born in Denver, Colorado on February 7 th , 1943 and, with seemly insurmountable obstacles, he quietly took his own life on July 8 th , 1993 in Buffalo, New York. He is survived by his son Christopher, his wife, and his three boys. This website is written and maintained by Christopher Sharits in an effort to support Paul's continued career and to provide academic resources. This is Paul's website. Much of the questions about his films are taken, in his own words, from books, notes, and interviews. If you have found any corrections, misprints, or contributions, please contact Christopher at csharits@comcast.net

Artistic Genre:

By definition, avant-garde is a term used to describe any group, particularly artists, who are considered to be innovative pioneers pushing the boundaries of what is considered normal. Prime examples of avant-garde artists include the painter Pablo Picasso, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, jazz musician Duke Ellington, and contemporary bands like *Sonic Youth. “Experimental,” as it pertains to experimental film, describes a range of filmmaking that separates from traditional cinema to films that tend to lack linear narratives and utilizes various abstract, impressionistic, poetic, and, often, distorted images or structural manipulation of the film itself like scratches, burns, and flicker. Many experimental films are either silent or use asynchronous sounds.

Many of Paul's drawings, written work, poetry, and film were part of the 1960's “Fluxus” movement. The word or term “Fluxus” has its origins in the Latin word meaning “to flow.” The concept of “flowing” work came to include an international group of artists and performers who explored media ranging from performance art to poetry to experimental music to film. The movement itself encouraged works that value simplicity over complexity and encompassed objects that exceeded the bounds of the advantaged by embracing art that wasn't art. A prime example of Fluxus is the Fluxus boxes or “Fluxkits” that were originated by George Maciunas, who coined the term “Fluxus.” Maciunas took wooden boxes, about 6”x6”x3”, with black block lettering and designs with a block lid that opened up to an odd collection of printed cards, games, plastic fruit, and, my personal favorite, a personal film looper/viewer with various film loops.** While Paul contributed “Fluxus” drawings and films, he also included or tried to include performance/object art like his 1992 resignation letter to The University of Buffalo where Paul had held the position of professor for over 20 years. Oddly enough and tragically, the University failed to see the “Fluxus” quality of his letter and accepted his resignation. Examples of Fluxus films from artists such as Yoko Ono, George Maciunas, Robert Watts, Nam June Paik, Chieko Shiomi, and, of course, Paul Sharits can be found at http://www.ubu.com/film/fluxfilm.html

On behalf of the Sharits and Romeo Families,
Thank you for your support and patronage,
Christopher Sharits

*the drawing “Passare III #7 (after Sonic Youth:16-19) is on-loan to the “Sonic Youth ect.:Sensational Fix” traveling exhibition currently in Europe.

**As a youth, Paul gave me (Christopher) a Fluxkit and I played with it not knowing it was valuable. After my dad's death it was acquired by Barbara Moore who donated her extensive Fluxus collection to Harvard's Fogg Museum.

Last updated 08/24/2010