Back in 1985, Zedd coined the term the “Cinema of Transgression” to describe the campy movies full of shocking sex and violence that he and other artists like Lydia Lunch, Richard Kern, and Kembra Pfahler were making on the Lower East Side. They were scrappy movies shot on 16mm often with pornographic punchlines.Among the social media tributes...
R.I.P. Nick Zedd, the NYC underground filmmaker who coined the "Cinema of Transgression" movement. pic.twitter.com/FxsqQLPsQk
— Film at Lincoln Center (@FilmLinc) February 27, 2022
Farewell to American filmmaker Nick Zedd (1958-2022), who spearheaded the 'Cinema of Transgression' movement in the 1980s, edited the Underground Film Bulletin and joined the dots between Kembra Pfahler, Richard Kern, Tessa Hughes Freeland, Lung Leg and Lydia Lunch. pic.twitter.com/OveAVS3Jbh
— Robin Rimbaud - Scanner (@robinrimbaud) February 27, 2022
Extremely sad to hear of Nick Zedd's passing. The real deal. His work (along with Kern, Lunch, Wojnarowicz, Dick, etc) is a necessary station for anyone with even half an interest in what lies beyond the gated enclaves of boundaried taste. A mad genius of the cinema.
— thee deklane (@theedeklan) February 27, 2022
Zedd is survived by his partner of 15 years, Monica Casanova, his son Zerak and step-daughter Amanita Funaro.RIP Nick Zedd, one of the realest to ever do it. Watched all his films (and public access work 🙃) in a 24hr period a few months back and permanently broke my brain in the process. Max respect to a true underground king! pic.twitter.com/QSmGGF3pi9
— ᘻᓰᖽᐸᘿ 𝔹 (@_RareArt) February 27, 2022
Crushing news. My heart bleeds for his family.
ReplyDeleteDespite his image, he was actually a nice guy when you talked to him. He was a star in the East Village, an original, creative force. He will be missed but his films live on. RIP.
ReplyDeleteI’ll miss you
ReplyDeleteRIP to a great artist who pushed boundaries
ReplyDeleteNick was the real deal. He never flinched or toned it down. And his film work was not a one dimensional shock and disgust fest. There was clever humor and real beauty throughout his films. My partner and I were fortunate to get to know Nick personally when he graciously made a cameo appearance in one of our music videos and we subsequently worked on a couple of his projects. He could be an asshole to some (and most, but not all, of whom probably deserved that treatment)but he and his wife and stepdaughter were always super sweet and very kind to me and my partner. Although he left the East Village for good long ago, I'm hard pressed to think of anyone who embodied it more.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching his films when they were screened at MOMA. Impressive achievement for an underground film maker. Hope someone puts together a Zedd film fest this year as a tribute.
ReplyDeleteJust say YES to a Nick Zedd film fest!
ReplyDeleteCome on, IFC Center
I actually dated Nick briefly years ago. Man, he was a malcontent to the core. But I always forgave his faults because I understood where a lot of that came from: the pit of creative discontent. He was really funny in a strange way that was even innocent at times. I always liked Nick, but man, his dark side could get really, really nasty. Ultimately, he softened in his later years because he met a woman who was really able to reach him and love him. I’m glad he found her. Sad his time here is done, but sharing a mutual “reality tunnel” as he called it, with him from
ReplyDeleteTime to time was special. Rest In Peace Nick.