Ken Jacobs, the revered experimental filmmaker whose groundbreaking work with manipulated found footage spanned more than seven decades, passed away on Sunday in Manhattan at the age of 92. His son, filmmaker Azazel Jacobs, shared that Ken's death followed closely after that of his wife and longtime collaborator, Flo Jacobs, who died on June 4. While the official cause was kidney failure, Azazel suggested that 'life without his collaborator and partner since 1960 was unimaginable for so many, especially him.' Jacobs remained dedicated to his craft until the very end, completing several final 'eternalisms' on the day he was hospitalized.

Hailed by Film at Lincoln Center as 'the titan of American experimental cinema,' Ken Jacobs began his artistic journey in Brooklyn. He emerged into New York’s vibrant downtown art scene of the 1960s, a period marked by the influence of figures like Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg. After initially studying painting under Hans Hoffman, Jacobs transitioned to filmmaking, where he would leave an indelible mark. He notably collaborated with his friend Jack Smith on significant underground films such as 'Blonde Cobra' and 'Little Stabs at Happiness.'

Together with his late wife Flo, Ken Jacobs co-founded the Millennium Film Workshop in 1966, an important institution for experimental cinema. For over three decades, he also imparted his knowledge and vision to future filmmakers as a teacher in the cinema department of Binghamton University in New York.

Jacobs’ filmography began in 1956 with 'Orchard Street,' a film chronicling the Lower East Side. Many of his subsequent works frequently utilized 'Manhattan streets, rooftops and dumps as the backdrop for sardonic minidramas of social despair,' as described by his former student, film critic J. Hoberman, in 2013. A hallmark of his style was the reinterpretation of existing cinematic material. His 1969 masterpiece, 'Tom, Tom the Piper’s Son,' famously used a short film from 1905 as its source, manipulating speed, light, and motion to create new meaning. This innovative work was recognized for its cultural significance and was admitted to the National Film Registry in 2007. Jacobs articulated his approach, stating, 'There’s already so much film. Let’s draw some of it out for a deeper look, toy with it, take it into a new light with inventive and expressive projection. Freud would suggest doing so as a way to look into our minds.'

His later notable films include 'Perfect Film' (1986) and 'Opening the Nineteenth Century: 1896' (1990). In 2004, Jacobs released 'Star Spangled to Death,' a monumental, nearly seven-hour compendium of found footage tracing 20th-century American history, a project he had begun compiling as early as 1957. His films, videos, and performances have been showcased at prestigious venues worldwide, including the Berlin Film Festival, the London Film Festival, the New York Film Festival, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Ken Jacobs received numerous accolades for his contributions to cinema, among them the AFI’s Maya Deren Award, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and grants from esteemed organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts. He is survived by his son, Azazel Jacobs, and his daughter, artist Nisi Ariana, leaving behind a profound legacy in the world of experimental film.