Black Mountain Retreat

[Liam Coerr]

I am currently on an art retreat to the second location of Black Mountain College in the mountains of North Carolina! This place, though I've never been here before, is incredibly important to me. Though the building is original and in tact, the entire facility is now a YMCA, which is incredibly unsettling to me, as I am not a fan of the Y as a corporate organization. Regardless, I'm having a pretty wonderful time, and will hopefully complete a lot of work in the following 6 days! If anything good comes out of it, I will make sure to share. Hope you all are doing well.

Much love, 

LIGMA

[De Villo Sloan]

Great to know the legacy of BMC continues in some form. I know there are many who attach great significance to the location in North Carolina.

Personally, BMC has had a huge impact on my life, even though it closed before I was born. I have never been to the physical location. But I had the fortunate circumstance that many of my most important teachers were people who had either been on the faculty or students at the college. Certainly there are many who would say BMC is about people, not a place. Looking at Richard's comments, I would have to add that those people can never in any way be duplicated.

So BMC is about place AND people and for all those who encounter it, in some form, is a spirit. Whatever BMC is/was it is deeply rooted in individualism & self discovery. So there is no one BMC nor is there one BMC experience. (I always trail into vagueness when I try to articulate it.) BMC is not about preserving something old; it's about making something new. I do know that.

Also - as Richard hints - there was the BMC of Albers, Ray Johnson, John Cage. Then there was the BMC of Olson, Creeley, Jonathan Williams (I note the patriarchy - many important women as well). And there were many differences at different phases of the college. It was never ONE thing nor did it have a single center. I never found that many of the people who were there felt any particular allegiance to BMC nor did they see great significance in their time there. Others made the myth.

So just enjoy your experience. BMC is likely always to remain a riddle or paradox.

Note: Fixed the typo - messed up Jonathan Williams' name!

[Toni Hanner -- tonipoet]

OH Good for You! I'm so glad you're giving yourself this wonderful gift! I look forward to some new mail art from you!

[Richard Canard]

26.05.16 Dare LIGMA,  ... I  did hear rumors that there was going to be an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the earlier BMC  spirit of exploration & creation at the original site....Most curious  about your experience but  I'm nonetheless sure  that you will find it productive as you seem to know already all about the values of  persistent  & experimental drawing ( I visited your website). Who is assuming the role of Josef Albers? Not an easy task for sure.... & what are your campus duties? Gardening & or milking the cows? I once learned in a phone conversation with Ray Johnson that he learned the trade of "plastering walls" at Black Mountain College. All best wishes for a pleasant experience.Sin celery, Richard Canard........Post Scriptum: By chance , did you receive the envelope that I sent your way on "Tobacco Road" ???