Panel text reads:
It might be good to remember Katie
At the train station in Washington, DC, wearing long hair, long skirt, carrying woven straw basket- looked like a fairy tale country princess- on the way to Black Mountain - hair like strands of sunshine. Katherine Litz.
One morning T and V went outside to fight a duel over her before breakfast- mention of her name? Opening or closing a door?
“Every dancer must learn to work alone so I’ll only teach 3 mornings a week” KL Three of us desperately twitching before the mirror on the other days. Running swiftly, then simply stopping, probably on half-toe, motionless, still-no preparation
Head, arms, legs articulate, on different pahs, different dynamics and rhythms. (washing dishes not good for dancers’ hands–Katie says) “Dracula” rehearsal in Brooklyn Heights- “During the performance we’ll improvise, but for now we’ll just improvise” KL via Remy
Blue body paint on our vampires’ legs for last performance. Katie liked them and painted her legs blue too for the whole program although she was never a vampire.
And David Tudor played Charles Ives for “Dracula and we all drank tea
David in the summer, warming up his hands with late Beethoven sonatas–no scales. I sat outside the screen door and listened. In the evening he played Dvořák with string players.
The famous, quietly spoken “If you don’t know, why do you ask?” looking up from dining hall table at questioner who was standing over him.
I think that I understood because there were always lots of things I didn't know and knew only that I couldn’t, therefore, ask. Viola
It might be good to remember Katie
At the train station in Washington, DC, wearing long hair, long skirt, carrying woven straw basket- looked like a fairy tale country princess- on the way to Black Mountain - hair like strands of sunshine. Katherine Litz.
One morning T and V went outside to fight a duel over her before breakfast- mention of her name? Opening or closing a door?
“Every dancer must learn to work alone so I’ll only teach 3 mornings a week” KL Three of us desperately twitching before the mirror on the other days. Running swiftly, then simply stopping, probably on half-toe, motionless, still-no preparation
Head, arms, legs articulate, on different pahs, different dynamics and rhythms. (washing dishes not good for dancers’ hands–Katie says) “Dracula” rehearsal in Brooklyn Heights- “During the performance we’ll improvise, but for now we’ll just improvise” KL via Remy
Blue body paint on our vampires’ legs for last performance. Katie liked them and painted her legs blue too for the whole program although she was never a vampire.
And David Tudor played Charles Ives for “Dracula and we all drank tea
David in the summer, warming up his hands with late Beethoven sonatas–no scales. I sat outside the screen door and listened. In the evening he played Dvořák with string players.
The famous, quietly spoken “If you don’t know, why do you ask?” looking up from dining hall table at questioner who was standing over him.
I think that I understood because there were always lots of things I didn't know and knew only that I couldn’t, therefore, ask. Viola
Artwork: 1995.32.1.1-.3
Remembering Katie Litz
This work was created for the 1995 exhibition Remembering Black Mountain College curated by Mary Emma Harris in conjunction with Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center and the BMC alumni reunion organized by Mary Holden Thompson, founding director of BMCM+AC.
24 x 18 inches
In copyright
Gift of Viola Farber
Viola Farber, Remembering Katie Litz, 1995. Ink on foam board. Collection of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. Gift of the artist.