Gerard Malanga
USABiography of Gerard Joseph Malanga
Gerard Joseph Malanga is an American poet, photographer, and filmmaker. Born in Bronx, New York, he attended school in Manhattan and college on Staten Island. During his college years, Malanga became friends with professor Willard Maas and his wife Marie Menken. From 1963 to 1970, Malanga worked for Andy Warhol and was actively involved in filmmaking. One of his most well-known projects was the multimedia presentation "Exploding Plastic Inevitable," directed by Warhol, featuring the Velvet Underground. Malanga claims to have created several works that are now attributed to Warhol. In 1970, he left Warhol's studio to pursue independent work.
Malanga gained recognition primarily as a photographer. He captured celebrities from various fields including poets, rock stars, and actors. In 1981, he documented the last farmer on Staten Island, Herbert Gericke. Not only did Malanga appear in films, but he also actively directed and produced his own movies. He created a series of highly successful romantic films. In 1996, his film "Mary for Mary" was dedicated to the renowned actress Mary Woronov. The documentary film "Donovan Meets Gerard" depicted Malanga's encounter with folk singer Donovan during their time at Warhol's studio. "Pre-Raphaelite Dream" portrayed the numerous friends and relatives of Malanga. However, in recent years, Malanga has been less involved in creating works for the big and small screens.
Malanga's archive of works is currently stored at the Warhol Factory. He now primarily focuses on poetry and has published around a dozen poetry collections. His book "This Will Kill That" is particularly notable. Malanga's photography collections, notably the collaboration with Andy Warhol called "Screen Tests: A Diary," have also gained significant popularity.
