Beyond the Fame: Expanding the Explored Artists of Black Mountain College presents the works of artists who studied at Black Mountain College, whose works are worthy of celebration, but have been unexplored in the past. This exhibition seeks to expand the audience’s knowledge beyond the internationally known artists of Black Mountain College. Artists such as Elaine de Kooning, Gwendolyn Knight, and Suzi Gablik, among others, have been mostly understood and acknowledged in the context of their more renowned colleagues, partners, or teachers*. In this exhibition, we seek to highlight and show appreciation for the works and accomplishments of these significant yet not fully explored artists. The other artists in this exhibition include: Jane Slater Marquis, Pat Passlof, Mary “Molly” Gregory, Carolyn Brown, Bacia Edelman, Viola Farber, Hazel Larsen Archer, Neil Noland, Elizabeth Jennerjahn, Trude Guermonprez, and Judd Woldin. Featuring these artists and their works was a conscious choice, based on the fact that none have had major solo recognition from internationally recognized museums, despite the fact that they are all worthy of acclaim.

This exhibition includes a group of artists that are deserving of commendation and represent the varied approaches to making art, hereby featuring media ranging from paintings, to ceramics, and furniture. Mary “Molly” Gregory used her skills in craft and woodworking to provide the campus with functional and sleek benches, chairs, signage, and tables. Elaine de Kooning graced the campus with vibrant and gestural energy that is displayed through her paintings, continuing on to produce portraits of John F. Kennedy, and become a renowned art critic. Gwendolyn Knight created expressionist paintings from her spontaneous inspiration with urban landscape, still-lifes, and portraiture.

This exhibition celebrates these artists’ contributions to the environment and achievements of the college. Providing a platform for these artists to display their works expands the context of the school, adding a much needed chapter to the history of Black Mountain College, which has been glazed over in the past. While the aim of this collection of works is to leave the audience with a greater knowledge of the of artists that attended the school, it is understood that this is not a complete history of the college. This exhibition includes some of the unexplored and unsung artists that attended this monumental school, who contributed to the legacy of Black Mountain College and furthermore, the art world.

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*Willem de Kooning, Jacob Lawrence, John Cage, Josef Albers, Buckminster Fuller, among others.