“Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College 1933-1957” is the first extensive exhibition of art works produced in the experimental liberal arts college, where pivotal artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, Josef and Anni Albers, and Merce Cunningham studied and taught. 

The exhibition strengthened my understanding of the connections between math, art, and science. Josef Albers is a highly influential artist who inspired some of the most progressive art education in the twentieth century, and his multi-dimentional art piece below shows intricate geometric design, resonating with ideas we learned in week 2. The drawing by William Albert Lanier is a great example of art, math, and science all combined in one art piece to create a modern-looking architectural design. The art produced in Black Mountain College represents a tiny fraction of a progressive era for art, math, and science that became the building blocks of the modern 21st century. 

I was very inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s Minutiae. It is a vibrant piece of art made from oil, paper, fabric, newspaper, wood, metal, plastic, mirror, and string on wood structure. The colorfulness reminds me that, as an aspired musician, I should learn to draw inspiration from the little things in daily life.   

The exhibition was definitely worth it and I recommend everyone go check it out at Hammer Museum.