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R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was one of the most inventive, influential, and inspiring figures of the 20th century. Through his ideas and inventions, his teaching and lecturing around the globe, he influenced current thought in a wide variety of fields, including commercial and industrial design, mathematics, the sciences, the arts and architecture. His basic approach was to apply both scientific knowledge and creativity to think “outside the box” when attempting to solve practical problems. Bucky’s foremost concern was to find ways to “do more with less” and to use resources most efficiently to serve humanity. He invented the term “Spaceship Earth” to encourage people to see the entire world as one interdependent system. During his life and career, Fuller was awarded 25 U.S. patents, wrote 28 books, received 47 honorary doctorate degrees, circled the Earth 57 times consulting and lecturing, and received dozens of major architectural and design awards along with the prestigious Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in America. Buckminster Fuller taught at Black Mountain College in the summers of 1948 and 1949, and he served as the Director of the BMC Summer Institute in 1949.
The exhibition IDEAS+ INVENTIONS: Buckminster Fuller and Black Mountain College will include two-dimensional and three-dimensional works that present and explore Fuller’s ideas. Also included in the show will be photographs taken of him and his students at Black Mountain College during the summers of 1948 and 1949, a Dymaxion map, and an autographed drawing of a geodesic dome. People can assemble models based on Fuller’s inventions and fully experience his genius in a special hands-on area.
In working with architectural forms, Fuller realized that virtually all traditional building had been based on the rectangle as a fundamental structural unit. He discovered, however, that the most stable structural form is not the rectangle but the triangle. The geodesic dome is therefore constructed of any number of equilateral triangles connected at angles to one another to form a dome, which is actually one-half of a sphere. The word “geodesic” is used to describe the geometry of curved surfaces. This building form is scalable to any size, so that anything from a child’s toy to the 20-story high dome built in Montreal for the 1967 World’s Fair is based on exactly the same principle. The dome uses the "doing more with less" idea in that it encloses the largest volume of interior space with the least amount of surface area thus saving on materials and cost. At Black Mountain College in 1948 and ’49, Fuller and students spent a great deal of time working on the design and construction of geodesic domes. In 1948, their attempt to build the first large-scale dome (with venetian blind strips!) failed, and the structure was subsequently referred to as the “Supine Dome”. The next summer, with sturdier materials, they were successful. Photographs from both of these endeavors will be on view in the exhibition.
The Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center is located at 56 Broadway in downtown Asheville. Hours are 12-4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment.
Exhibition dates: Through November 26, 2005
Performance: Music from Black Mountain College
Important 20th century composers such as John Cage, Stefan Wolpe and Lou Harrison spent critical time at Black Mountain College teaching and writing adventurous new music. BMCM+AC presents music by these Black Mountain College composers as performed by itch, the Brevard Music Center New Music Ensemble.
Presentation: Immersive Media Environments
David McConville, co-founder of The Elumenati (http://www.elumenati.com/ ), will discuss the history and future of linear and interactive immersive media displays, including how ideas from Black Mountain College teachers and students have influenced contemporary virtual environment design.
Theater Performance: Erik Satie’s The Ruse of Medusa
In partnership with the NC Stage Company, BMCM+AC presents Erik Satie’s lyric comedy, The Ruse of Medusa (Le Piège de Méduse) considered to be the first example of surrealist drama. The one-act play in seven scenes is punctuated by dances in between each scene. Performed in English for the first time at Black Mountain College in 1948, the play had an all-star cast including Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham, and Elaine de Kooning. John Cage performed the music and Willem de Kooning designed the stage sets. Along with being the first Surrealist drama, this is the first composition requiring the use of a prepared piano, as Satie inserted paper between the hammers and strings of the instrument to create a particular timbral effect.
Sat. Workshop for all ages: Great Circles and Spaceship Earth
Inspired by Bucky’s visionary explorations, we will use Zome Kits and other media to creatively model some of the living geometries of our planet Earth.
For more information please contact Alice Sebrell at 828-350-8484 or [email protected] or visit our website at http://www.blackmountaincollege.org The Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center is located at 56 Broadway in downtown Asheville. Hours are 12-4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment.
The Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center preserves and continues the unique legacy of educational and artistic innovation of Black Mountain College for public study and enjoyment. We achieve our mission through collection, conservation, and educational activities including exhibitions, publications, and public programs.
(Image provided by Black Mountain College.)