Through September 7, Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (BMCM+AC) presents Robert Chapman Turner: Artist, Teacher, Explorer, an exhibition that celebrates the Black Mountain College teacher that established the first studio pottery program at the College.
(Right) Flag Bowl. Robert Turner, artist
“Reflecting on Robert Turner’s approach to teaching, his students recall that he was thoughtful, observant and perceptive in pointing out the precise aspect of a work that needed more attention,” says Alice Sebrell, director of preservation at BMCM+AC. “His method was that of a wise, friendly guide, sharing knowledge and experience with care.”
Turner arrived at Black Mountain College in 1949 at the college’s invitation. He worked with student architect Paul Williams to design the Potshop and stayed until 1951, when he moved with his family to a farm in New York. “Turner converted the property’s dairy barn into a studio,” says Sebrell. “He made his own clay and glazes, used a gas-fired kiln and became a production potter making functional work.” Turner also taught sculpture and pottery at Alfred University for more than 20 years until his retirement in 1979.
Robert Turner’s hands
The artist was deeply impacted by his travels in the southwestern US and in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. “Turner credited specific indigenous groups like the Ashanti and Navajo people for much of the work he created from 1971-1980, and expressed how the ability to ‘explore’ and travel the world was transformative on every level,” says Sebrell. “The shapes and names of Turner’s forms reveal the impact of his encounters with other cultures, new landscapes and natural forces.”
The exhibition will include work by some of Turner’s students and colleagues at BMC, Alfred University and Penland as well as work by contemporary ceramic artists whose work fits within the context of the show.
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center is located at 120 College Street, Asheville. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, visit BlackMountainCollege.org or call 828.350.8484.
