LEAP BEFORE YOU LOOK
Black Mountain College and bar conversations
WHY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU’RE NOT
Welcome back – to hell. I’ve given myself ample time to remind myself why I enjoy the act of writing so much. I feel more connected, more articulate, more aware, whether socially or emotionally. As I pick up where I left off some of this writing is from late December and early January and I’ve decided to include it and build off what was left. Here are my thoughts and feelings from the past.
As the year twenty-twenty-four winds down it’s been one of failed opportunities but a rebirth of ideas. A fire always burns within me but I usually have to contain it due to other worldly circumstances but to finish this year strong I say no more! Painting, writing, compound exercises, cooking, raw milk, and no seed oils — my twenty-twenty-four.
START TODAY END TOMORROW START AGAIN
Stories from the bar
Seated at the bar adjacent to a first date. The conversation started slow but as the alcohol started to flow so did the topics. They loosened up after exchanging backgrounds on their family and hobbies and why they both moved to Phoenix from Seattle and San Diego. The night took a turn when one mentioned the dread of being unfulfilled because despite graduating college and having a great job they didn't have anyone to spend their time with. “Even if it's just hanging out on the couch,” they said. My heart began to hurt. One shared their difficulty to find community after attending an evangelical church because they are an orthodox catholic. They both expressed anxieties with their workplace, feeling as if they’re pawns, undervalued and replaceable. My heart, then, began to ache. They've done everything expected of them but yet are still unfulfilled. What happens next?
Felt like watching an episode of Love is Blind in real-time.
More recently I heard a group of 5 or so discussing and explaining what edging was. Never a dull moment at my bar but can we just talk about the weather?
An impassioned conversation took place between friends the other night about the prospect of being morally promiscuous. I took some copywriting liberties with the vernacular used.
More to follow.
STYLE AS THE BE ALL END ALL
Upon the closure of the legendary Japanese imprint FRUiTS, founder Shoichi Aoki stated at the time that
…there were no more fashionable kids to photograph.
Whether this was true at the time or not, it’s more than glaring today.
WE WANT WHAT WE DON’T HAVE BUT IT ISN’T ALWAYS GOOD FOR US
Magazines not being run by writers or editors but by “creatives” who come by the way of graphic design or photography make me feel, well, sad — maybe angry too, but mostly despair. The world needs new editorial content and not run-of-the-mill graphic design or photography. Please make it interesting.
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ANYTHING FOREVER
Black Mountain College was a progressive and influential experimental arts college located in the Black Mountains of North Carolina. Founded in 1933 the college was initially praised for its interdisciplinary approach, it attracted renowned artists, musicians, and thinkers, fostering a unique environment for collaboration even though it didn't adhere to a specific ideology nor encourage a cohesive artistic style. It sought total integration of art and life – learning through experience. After leaving Rollins College in fiery controversy, John Rice had the desire to create a new type of college based on John Dewey’s principles of progressive education where collaboration and self-democratic rule were at the forefront.
The college came to fruition during a time of turmoil at home and abroad. The great depression was lingering and the rise of Nazism led to the creation of this new school. Due to the closure of the Bauhaus by Hitler figures like Josef and Anni Albers made their way to America to teach at Rice’s new school. The likes of Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham, Willem and Elaine de Kooning, and Cy Twombly were associated with the college, contributing to its avant-garde legacy. The emphasis on experiential learning and the integration of arts and academics distinguished Black Mountain College, leaving a lasting impact on the American avant-garde and educational philosophy.
Within the 24 years, its doors were open it saw a fair share of controversy. Starting with Albers leaving to teach at Yale and then ending with the FBI investigating the entire student body and faculty during the Red Scare. Black Mountain College had been at the forefront steadily influencing what would become popular American culture. How have we strayed so far from a community-based art school being possible? Is this happening today? If not, why not?
Over the next few dispatches, I will be doing spotlights on my favorite Black Mountain College alumni.