Event Blog #1

Black Mountain College

Last week I went to the Hammer Museum in Westwood to go to one of the listed desma events. This was the first time that I had ever been to the Hammer Museum. It was so pretty and modern. A colourful tree and the word Hammer were illuminated on white walls. I also got to spin around on the chairs that spin like a top!

 

(Inside the room of the poetry reading)

 

(An illuminated tree on the wall at the Hammer)

  

(Spinny chairs in the lobby of the museum)

The event that I attended was called "Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College 1933-1957". Prior to this I had never heard of Black Mountain College. I learned that it was a liberal arts college in North Carolina with a rich history. It started as a protest, it had a work program where students could work on the farm and do dishes, and it was investigated by the FBI during Cold War America. The fact that the school survived was remarkable. The start up of black mountain college was simultaneous with the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

 

(Some of my teammates and I and the guy who checked our tickets)

 

(My ticket for the event)

At this time, science was a dominant force, therefore a school focused solely on the arts was a bizarre concept. The founders of the college believed that the arts are central to the experience of learning. This idea reminds me of the first blog post that we did, focusing on two cultures. At this point in time I am sure that the divide between science and art was even more profound.

 

<http://mountainx.com/blogwire/black-mountain-college-museum-arts-center-presents-black-mountain-college-exhibit/> 

Black Mountain College operated in a more progressive educational way. Free inquiry was encouraged, and there were no required courses. This independence with ones education is something that I believe is very beneficial for overall learning experience. This reminds me of Richard Buckmeister Fuller's idea of de-geniusing that Vesna mentioned in the Mathematics Lecture. This was the idea that we are all born geniuses but the education system works to de-genius us. Black Mountain College seemed to be working for the opposite; to use the education system to enrich its students.

 

<http://www.rifuture.org/wp-content/uploads/black-mountain-college-nc.jpg>

  

I would definitely recommend this event to my classmates. It was an interesting topic that I personally was unaware of prior to the event, it was convenient and close to campus, and had a great atmosphere. It enriched my knowledge on the how influential the education system can be in regards to the divide between science and art. The conflict between science and art in education systems that is present in todays schools, was also present back then, and dates back decades. Further knowledge on these subjects will help me for my midterm and final projects.

Citations

"Black Mountain College: A Brief Introduction." Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Centre. Black Mountain College, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

Blumberg, Naomi. "Black Mountain College." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

"Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College: 1933-1957." The Hammer Museum. Hammer Museum, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

Oman, Erika. "Black Mountain College." The Art Story. The Art Story Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics.” Lecture. YouTube. Uconlineprogram. Web. 8 April. 2015.