Have I ever mentioned that Minor White taught me to splice film?

[Cassandra]

I was taking a mixed-media art class at MIT in 74 or 75. We were supposed to take sections of movie film and splice them and then they showed them to the class, accompanied by a three piece band (MIT was cool like that). One of the Leacock brothers was scheduled to show us how to use the film splicing equipment, but they were both busy so Minor White offered to step in and assist. And yes, he personally showed me how to cut the film and splice it together, his hands on mine. At the time I only vaguely knew he was a big deal.

[Mira]

1. Well, not only did you tell me now, but

you afforded this ignoramus to google this Master and learn a few little things about just what can be done with a camera.
WOW.

Once, while we're telling stories, I was in Chicago. Having arrived there on a train with my teenage mohawk haired son, who was wearing a black trench coat onto the back he had sprayed the Peace symbol.
He had been accepted at the Art Institute with the Presidential Scholarship, but I could not afford the rest of the tuition.
I digress, and I brag, and I am cracking up remembering what he looked like.

We were walking along and stumbled on a Mapplethorpe exhibit. A big one. One that included the questionable photos of eroticism in a separate room away from the photos of the flowers etc.

At that time the sculpture "Piss Christ" by a guy whose name I forget, maybe Andrew somebody, an A is involved at any rate, was exhibited in my town while Jesse Helms was on a tear about that, and Mapplethorpe's photos would have never been allowed in a gallery in NC.

Our trip to Chicago, useless when it came to trying to get a better deal for the budding college student, will always be a standout because of that wonderful exhibit we ran across by accident.

Thanks for reading this. It's kindof along the emotional line of what you are telling....
Meeting a Master, in our case it was the work, not the man.

[Cassandra]

2. A big Mapplethorpe exhibit must have been fabulous but...

how did your son feel about losing out on what would have been a great opportunity?

[Mira]

5. Thank you for asking, he had to get over it,

and went to the UNC School of the Arts instead, School of design and production - he now writes computer software for the Sign Industry, www.estimatesoftware.com - and is a generally well adjusted happy "Mensch".

[Celebration]

4. oh, man

I remember all that Mapplethorpe controversy. That was the controversy du jour. Talk about a manufactured controvery!! And all pre Glenn Beck!

There are a couple of exhibits that I stumbled upon with my daughter that are kind of peak memories, too. One was http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/exhibits.html#theatre but we stumbled on it during a trip to NYC in the basement of the Metropolitan Museum. We still talk about that exhibit. Although it was not photography, there were WWII photographs all around that were fabulous. That entertained my husband while my daughter and I checked out the dolls. I'm not generally a fan of dolls. My only regret is that I didn't check out the photos more carefully. My husband was really into the photography of the era, at least to entertain himself there, my daughter was into the fashions, and I liked both. I have to say I went with the fashions. :rofl:

[Celebration]

3. that sounds very cool

I am not much of a photography student, so I had never heard of him. But that sounds like a really wonderful experience to have had.