John Cage

In 1912 the composer and musician John Cage was born in Los Angeles, CA. He experimented with the nature of sound and created new structures of musical notation. His groundbreaking compositions and performances influenced not only other musicians but painters and choreographers as well. Cage went against the musical preconceptions inherited from the past, and he succeeded in sharing his controversial ideas. He received numerous awards and grants as well as enthusiastic reviews from music critics. Cage attended the 1948, 1952, and 1953 summer sessions at Black Mountain College. While he was predominantly a musician, he also made multiple bodies of prints starting in 1982 up until his death in New York in 1992. He also worked on several visual projects including collaborative projects at the LA Museum of Contemporary Art and the Guggenheim Soho, including Rollwholyover. (Source: Kat Bertam, Asheville Art Museum spring 2021 curatorial intern)