One of the effects of this website is viewers around the globe. Accordingly, a gentleman in New Zealand by the name of Xuan Titman made contact and said he had a painting his mother told him was given to her by Kurt. He sent some photos, front and back. His mother was studying fine arts in the early 1960s, though died twenty years ago. Kurt taught in New Zealand in the early 1960s for two years as a visiting professor at the University of Auckland, and a web search turns up evidence of an art exhibition in which a painting by Kurt was listed. This could be it!
Vajra Mukut - The Ceremony of the Black Crown
"The Ceremony of the Black Crown or Vajra Mukut, which His Holiness alone can perform, transmits the energy and intelligence of the awakened state of mind." So reads a sentence from the program booklet provided for attendees for an empowerment ritual performed by His Holiness, the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa. Kurt von Mieir would not have missed it for the world, and along with a retinue of Diamond Sufi Ranch family members joined the large crowd at Fort Mason on October 13, 1974.
A Portrait of Dr. Jose Goldolphin Que y Porque
Aka: Dr. von Meier, Buddy Meier, Kurt Eugene von Meier, Kvon Meier, Karma rDorje Wangdu. This weathered portrait (circa 1975, based upon the hairline and facial hair) of Kurt by an unknown student-artist was found unceremoniously tucked away in a moldering manila file folder. More on Jose Que.
I Ching Computerized Horoscope
Found among Kurt's archives was this print-out--his computerized, I Ching horoscope--from 1974. Being a student of the I Ching and with some interest in astrology, it's not surprising that Kurt's curiosity inclined him to generate such a document, if only for purposes of amusement. He kept it, however, perhaps because it touched him in unexpected ways. Those who knew him may find some resonance within this print-out as well.
The Grizzly Bear Dancer
Kurt held bears in high regard. His friend Joe Duane ("Choochi"), who first met Kurt in 1970, sent him the gift of a photograph--Grizzly Bear Dancer, Qagyuhl by Edward Sheriff Curtis--and Kurt sent Joe a note of thanks, dated January 5. The year was 1998, as Kurt's reference to the Unabomber trial indicates, and Kurt's inquiry about "chickens" and the Supreme Court in Hong Kong has to do with historic practices of chicken sacrifice and its connection with honest court testimony. The note closes with Kurt's reference to Brain Droppings, a book by George Carlin; Kurt's signature uses his Buddhist name, rDorje, written in Tibetan. Thanks to Joe for providing this bit of von Meier memorabilia.
Kurt's Semiotexts
Among the many hundreds of books Kurt read, a handful appear to have played a major role in his personal and professional life. In some cases, they influenced his profession as an art historian and professor; in other cases, they informed and enhanced his interests in mystical, esoteric cultural and spiritual traditions. References to these books and their authors can be found throughout his published and unpublished writings.
Julian's - Vallejo's Smartest Nite Spot
By all accounts, Kurt was enamored with his father, Julian von Meier (pictured above), who died unexpectedly when Kurt was only eleven years old. In documents, Kurt variously describes Julian as a gourmet chef, avid fisherman and restaurateur. Julian's Restaurant was located in Vallejo, a big navy town in 1943 during WWII. The menu reveals restaurant prices at that time, quite the shock by today's standards.
Princeton Professor Erwin Panofsky
As one considers the question of how it is that Kurt became the man he was, the figure of Erwin Panofsky looms large. Panofsky was a Jewish/German scholar and art historian who taught at Princeton while Kurt was earning his Ph.D.; Kurt makes reference to him frequently in his writing. At U.C. Berkeley, Kurt originally pursued a degree in International Affairs, but along the way switched his major to Art History. By the time he arrived at Princeton, pursuing Art History was his intent.
Panofsky was instrumental in establishing and elevating the field of Art History. One suspects that his focus on iconography and visual symbolism caught Kurt's attention, and the approach Panofsky refined is clearly reflected in Kurt's methodology and approach. Panofksy is credited with codifying a three-system approach to visual analysis:
1. Primary or natural subject matter: The most basic level of understanding, this stratum consists of perception of the work’s pure form.
2. Secondary or conventional subject matter (iconography): This stratum goes a step further and brings to the equation cultural and iconographic knowledge.
3. Tertiary or intrinsic meaning or content (iconology): This level takes into account personal, technical, and cultural history into the understanding of a work. Essentially, this last stratum is a synthesis; it is the art historian asking "what does it all mean?"
MD: Three pieces in twine
Kurt's interest in Marcel Duchamp was long-standing. Here's a note he typed to himself on September 16, 1985 in which he references three works by Duchamp, all incorporating the use of twine. As we now know, he then focused upon A Bruit Secret as the the vehicle for his 350,000-word opus, which he completed in 1991. Images of the works mentioned are included here.
Artist Noble Richardson
Desert artist Noble Richardson first met Kurt at UCLA, and they became fast friends. That friendship lasted until Kurt's death in 2011. They shared a love of art, nature and psychedelics, and Noble was a resident artist at the Diamond Sufi Ranch on-and-off during the 1970s. Noble painted the huge mural which adorned one wall in the Diamond Sutra Restaurant; more examples of Noble's silk-screen prints and paintings are available by clicking on the link below.
The Diamond Sutra Restaurant: Tantric Cuisine
Kurt and his two long time pals Tom Genelli and Jene LaRue teamed up in 1970 and opened a restaurant at Diamond and 24th Streets in San Francisco. They called it The Diamond Sutra and offered Tantric Cuisine. Over time, they blew everybody's socks off (with the red hot chili peppers alone), and in their own way transformed San Francisco's food scene. By the time they were featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, they were ready to move on.
mandala: mirror: reflections poster
This poster developed by then student Lori Lockamy for Kurt's 2003 mandala: exhibition ultimately was not used to promote the exhibit, but it does contain some very interesting elements, including an image of Kurt's heart and his "signature" provided by Marcel Duchamp.
Memorial Display at Sacramento State University
Kurt von Meier taught at Sacramento State University for 34 years, earning the respect of his colleagues and devotion of his students. After his death in 2011, one of those students, Lori Lockamy, created a memorial display in Kadema Hall, where Kurt maintained his office and where the art and art history classes are taught. A view of the memorial display with the doors open is available, as is the inscription on the face of the glass doors.
Friends, Lovers, Places, Dates, Moments and Meaning
This sheet appears to date from 1976. Some of you might find your name, or names you recognize. What was on Kurt's mind? His life, his relationships, his moments.
Read moreJohn Lilly's Sensory Deprivation Flotation Tank
Kurt was a longtime friend of researcher John C. Lilly, and in 1975 decided to experience time in one of John's sensory deprivation flotation tanks for himself. In his typical fashion, Kurt completed a type-written report of his time in the tank for his records, which we share with you here.
"Smitty" the Space-Mouse
Kurt started writing early. An article in The Carmel Pine Cone notes "At the age of 11 Kurt von Meier was editor and publisher of "Carmel Quack" and sports reporter and author of the cartoon strip "Smitty the Space-Mouse," which ran in the "Spectator" in 1947. In his cartoon strip (found in a childhood scrapbook), Kurt's already playing off Disney's iconic "Micky Mouse" and displaying his sense of humor with characters like "Prof. Schmaltz."
High School Report Card 1951
Kurt's Report Card from senior year at Carmel High School contains little in the way of surprises; he was an excellent student, "Best Student in class" notes Dr. Craig. His lowest grade was in Citizenship, which earned a First Quarter comment: "fooling around." Sounds familiar.
Kurt's Diamond Sufi Ranch
The Diamond Sufi Ranch was located in Oakville, in the Napa Valley. It was owned by Bill Hamm, of the Hamm's Beer family, and Kurt leased the property for many years. The 3-bedroom main house on the property, pictured above with Kurt's psychedelic VW Bug in the circular driveway (under the 700-year old Valley Oak), was actually the caretaker's house. A much larger estate home had burned down long before Kurt took up residence. Other buildings remained on the property, which was in walking distance from the Napa River. A stable housed Misty Moonlight, the ranch horse, and the stable had one small living unit in it. An enclosed pool house was across the grove of timber bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) at the rear of the main house, and it also contained a small, living unit. The same was true of the garage/barn, where artist Noble Richardson spent many hours painting.
The configuration of places to live lent itself to communal life, and a number of people took up residence for periods of time. This resulted in big dinners, orchestrated by Kurt, of course, served around the kitchen table or on the back deck. And there were kids, too. At one time a pack of 4-year-old blonde toddlers ran the ranch.
The Diamond Sufi ranch became a gathering place for thinkers, artists and an odd assortment of healers, yogis, body workers, massage therapists, students and musicians. People were always dropping by, including notables like Alan Watts and Tibetan Buddhist Lamas, including Lama Chime of the Kagyu lineage, who renamed the ranch Samten Chöling.
During the summer, a Native American-style sweat lodge was built from bent bamboo and coverings; rocks would be heated during the night, and at sunrise placed in the sweat lodge and doused with water to produce hot steam. A quick dash to jump into the cool water of the indoor pool closed the pores opened by the heat of the sweat lodge. For more information and photos read more.
Kurt's youth and military service
Kurt grew up in Carmel, and graduated from Carmel High School. He was, by all accounts and available evidence, creative, popular and clearly good looking. To see more photographs and information about Kurt's early life, read more.
Unconventional Art History Teacher Fights Termination
In 1967, while an assistant professor at UCLA, Kurt was notified that his contract was not going to be renewed. Had it been renewed, he would have become a full, tenured professor. He was loved by his students, and as the article from the L.A. Times notes, "This rapport with students swelled one of his classes, a survey of 20th Century Art, from 75 students in the fall of 1965 when he started at UCLA to 450 students when he taught it last fall." He was wildly popular with students, but not with his Art Department chair. In comments, Kurt is quoted about two main areas of disagreement, "The first was the subject matter and the content of my courses...such as playing rock-and-roll and maybe even my choice of slides." He went on, "The other major area of concern was the methodology, the syllabus, specifically the unorthodox classes and bringing in outside speakers and for following methods other than the strict, didactic approach that usually makes art history so deadly dull."
Among the guests he invited to speak to his classes was Rock and Roller Lew Reed, just at the beginning of his career. Phil Spector dropped in, and Andy Warhol. And then there was the "book burning" art-piece on campus, and the art-event when Kurt led his students in throwing an old black and white television off the Santa Monica Pier. This is what Kurt meant by "unorthodox." UCLA just was not ready for Kurt, who in student letters to the Daily Bruin was deemed "a genius." And of course, he was.
He lost his appeal, despite the uproar of his devoted students.
