Robert Beavers attended Deerfield Academy but left in 1965 before
graduating to pursue experimental filmmaking. He lived in New York City
until 1967 when he and his mentor-partner, Gregory Markopoulos, left
the United States for Europe, where they continued to make avant-garde
films until Markopoulos' death in 1992.
European art and architecture largely inspired Beavers. His films are
equally noted both for their intricate mosaic-like structure and
exquisite framing as well as their insightful exploration of history
and art. Most of his films were shot in the seventies and eighties in
Italy, Switzerland, and Greece.
Beavers founded Temenos, Inc., a non-profit devoted to the preservation
of his and Markopoulos' work. Both men always resisted any commercial
impulses and kept a distance from major contemporary American
experimental cinema. To this day, strict control is maintained over the
exhibition of his work.