When Black Mountain College was founded in 1933, teachers and students recognized the potential of photography and incorporated it into workshops and the curriculum. “Lacking funds for anything beyond a rudimentary darkroom and basic supplies, artists had to work and experiment within limitations,” explains Jeff Arnal, executive director of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. “As seen over and over again at Black Mountain College, the teachers and students found creative solutions, cultivating an eager and open culture.” From this experimental base emerged some notable photographers of the era, like Robert Rauschenberg and Martha McMillan Roberts. The exhibit Begin to See: The Photographers of Black Mountain College features their work, primarily from their days at the college. The opening reception takes place on Friday, Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m. blackmountaincollege.org. Pictured: Barbara Morgan, Photography Class, Lake Eden, 1944. Courtesy of the Western Regional Archives, State Archives of N.C.
Smart bets: Photographers of Black Mountain College
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