Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis

For Jack Smith (1932-1989), Atlantis was both the idea of a fantastical utopia and the reality of the Lower East Side apartment in which this prophetic artist staged baroque, improvisational multi-hour one-man theatrical productions, often with a cast of stuffed animals and dolls. An avant-garde photographer, filmmaker, actor, performance artist, and all around "flaming creature," Smith has been credited as a major influence by Fellini, Godard and Jarmusch.