Only two weeks remain of the Ray Johnson retrospective: BMC to NYC: The Tutelary Years of Ray Johnson (1943-1967), at The Black Mountain College Museum and Art Center in downtown Asheville.
On display are collages created in the '50s and '60s, which Johnson referred to as "moticos." They examine Johnson's love of words and puns, and thoughtful composition. He often reworked his collages after exhibiting them, and would sometimes cut them up for use in new collages. Over time, his work became increasingly self-referential, as he would collage advertisements and images of popular figures into earlier drawings. Much of the work has an irreverent tone, such as Action Jackson that references Jackson Pollock, the well-known abstract artist described in the media at that time as an "action painter."
Much of the work should be regarded as physical relics of actual art pieces. Johnson's postal performances, for example, had a lot to do with the actual mailing and receiving of letters and envelopes he created. With that action removed, the letters are now what remain of the original art piece. There are several on hand to check out in this exhibit, and even some that Johnson had created in 1943 — two years before he attended Black Mountain College.
Wed. 12-4
Thurs. thru Sat. 11-5.
Admission is free for members of BMCM+AC
$3 for non-members.
Wednesdays admission is free.
Check out www.blackmountaincollege.org for details about Write Soon, Goon -- the Museum's closing party featuring poetry readings and performance art. Friday, June 18th.
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