ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Black Mountain College's Legacy Explored in New York Exhibition

exhibition · 2026-04-22

From September 15 to October 29, 2011, the Loretta Howard Gallery in New York City presented 'Black Mountain College and Its Legacy,' a show co-curated by Loretta Howard and Robert Mattison. The exhibition showcased works from artists linked to Black Mountain College (1933-1956), such as Josef Albers, Willem de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly, alongside lesser-known artists like Jorge Fick and Leo Amino. Notable pieces included a tapestry by Anni Albers and paintings by Kenneth Noland. Critics pointed out inconsistencies in curation and mistakes in the catalogue. Additionally, the event featured a poetry reading by Francine du Plessix Gray and a discussion led by curator Jason Andrew, occupying two floors at 525-531 West 26th Street.

Key facts

  • Exhibition ran from September 15 to October 29, 2011 at Loretta Howard Gallery in New York City
  • Co-curated by Robert Mattison and Loretta Howard
  • Featured artists from Black Mountain College, active 1933-1956 near Asheville, North Carolina
  • Included works by Josef Albers, Willem de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly
  • Showcased Merce Cunningham dance footage publicly for the first time
  • Exhibition highlighted interdisciplinary collaborations and informal learning
  • Catalogue contained historical errors, including misspelled names
  • Related events included a poetry reading and a curator talk on Jack Tworkov

Entities

Artists

  • Josef Albers
  • Willem de Kooning
  • Hazel Larsen
  • Ray Johnson
  • Robert Motherwell
  • Franz Kline
  • Robert Rauschenberg
  • Cy Twombly
  • Jack Tworkov
  • Leo Amino
  • Jorge Fick
  • Joe Fiore
  • Richard Lippold
  • Anni Albers
  • Kenneth Noland
  • Kenneth Snelson
  • Pat Passlof
  • Elaine de Kooning
  • Milton Resnick
  • Dorothea Rockburne
  • Max Dehn
  • Jerry Van de Wiele
  • Helen Frankenthaler
  • Clement Greenberg
  • Richard Bogart
  • John Chamberlain
  • Emerson Woelffer
  • Buckminster Fuller
  • Bolotowski
  • John Cage
  • Merce Cunningham
  • Charles Olson
  • Robert Creeley
  • Ed Dorn
  • Fielding Dawson
  • M.C. Richards
  • Jonathan Williams
  • Katherine Litz
  • Hazel Larsen Archer
  • Aaron Siskind
  • Arthur Siegel
  • Harry Callahan
  • Ruth Asawa
  • Francine du Plessix Gray
  • John Yau
  • Vincent Katz
  • Maureen Howard
  • Jason Andrew
  • Mark Tobey

Institutions

  • Loretta Howard Gallery
  • Black Mountain College
  • Ecole des beaux-arts
  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Company
  • Norte Maar
  • Storefront
  • artcritical

Locations

  • New York City
  • United States
  • Asheville
  • North Carolina
  • Lake Eden
  • Montreal
  • Canada
  • Chicago
  • Illinois
  • Bushwick

Sources