John C. Lilly and Heinz von Foerster discuss inter-species communication

John C. Lilly (1915-2001) became well known for his study of dolphins and research into human/dolphin communication. Heinz von Foerster (1911-2002) was an Austrian-born scientist recognized as one of the pioneers in cybernetics and artificial intelligence. Both John and Heinz were friends of Kurt. This recording was made by Kurt in 1975 during a small conference about inter-species communication. It runs about 20 minutes, and takes a short while to load.

Hopi Teachings and Prophecy

In 1969, Kurt traveled several times to the southwest with his trusty Nagra tape recorder and met with a number of Hopi Elders, including Thomas Banyacya  (pictured - 1910-1999).  In subsequent years, Thomas was visited by the Dalai Lama, and addressed the United Nations in 1992. He worked tirelessly as a spokesperson for the Hopi ("People of Peace"). The first interview transcript below is of a discussion with Thomas Banyacya and another Tribal Elder named Ralph Selina.

Kurt's questions focus on Hopi philosophy, spiritual views, challenges facing them and their land (including mining operations by Peabody Coal), and the Hopi Prophecies. Notably, the recent reduction of the protected portion of Bear's Ears National Monument by the Trump Administration (2017) directly affects the Hopi homeland.

Kurt also separately interviewed a Hopi tribal member named White Bear; their discussion concerns the author Frank Waters, whose book Book of the Hopi was published in 1963. Their conversation then turns to rabbit hunting, the preparation and ingredients of traditional Hopi meals, and the preservation of Hopi teachings.

Finally, this article includes Hopi commentary selected by Kurt from the transcripts, which he included in his 350,000-word online book, With Hidden Noise.

Over several years, the tapes of these interviews were carefully transcribed by Kurt's students, but generally have been otherwise unavailable.

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.

Chinese Anyone?

This caligraphy was jammed between other documents in a beaten-up manila folder in Kurt's archives but was untranslated. We asked for help, and Phil Shea responded: "I know some Japanese and this Chinese character is used also in Japanese. It means "way" and appears in words like 'calligraphy' (the way of writing), 'Judo' (the gentle way), and 'expressway'. However, using a little 'Google-dou' (the way of Google) I found this link to the use of the character in Taoism - which I think is the most appropriate in this case. Here's the article. There is also this, which is about the character itself, without any assumption of meaning." 

Kurt at 11: Publisher of Carmel Quack

After moving from Berkeley to Carmel with his family, Kurt somehow convinced the local paper, The Carmel Pine Cone, to distribute his own weekly newspaper, Carmel Quack, and the Pine Cone generously announced the venture in its pages. "His plans for the future, "says the report, "include journalistic training in high school and possibly, later, at the University of California."

Public Lecture #5 at the Pasadena Art Museum: Don't Knock The Rock and All That Jazz

In his fifth public lecture at the Pasadena Art Museum, Kurt focused on one of his favorite topics: rock and roll. He regaled his audience by playing 20 brief selections from his collection of 45s and as Los Angeles Times reporter Ray Duncan notes, "In his usual gleefully offbeat manner the young professor jolted his audience with unexpected esthetic judgments...." The copy of this article was very in very poor condition, but is shown large enough to overcome its lack of clarity. 

Kurt and Artist Chuck Close join the Mod Squad

The Archives of von Meier contain all kinds of little jewels: here's a newspaper clipping from May, 1966 in The Massachusetts Collegian featuring Kurt and the then 26-year-old artist Chuck Close modeling "the Mod Look". As the caption reads, Kurt covered his face to hide from his mother.

Public Lecture #4 at the Pasadena Art Museum: Common Bond of Cinemas, Commercials

In his fourth public lecture at the Pasadena Art Museum Kurt, in the words of Los Angeles Times reporter Ray Duncan, "...mischievously needled, puzzled and outraged certain members of his audience." The subject was movies, their violence and the implications of the growing influence of television and commercials. "I suspect," Kurt reportedly said, "that, in television, the first-rate people are those who conceive, design and direct the commercials!" Though he was scheduled to present six lectures, this fourth may have been his last.

Kurt von Meier, Record Producer

Once of the little-known chapters in Kurt's life is his short stint as a record producer for the experimental rock band The Red Krayola. By all accounts, the band was not a hit; its feedback-filled, free-form music pleased neither the crowds nor the critics. But it's an interesting story.

Public Lecture #3 at the Pasadena Art Museum: Drawings Not As Comical As They Seem

In his third lecture at the Pasadena Art Museum, Kurt declared, "Comics are a great life form, but they have nothing whatsoever to do with life!" The Los Angeles Times reporter Ray Duncan again characterizes Kurt's listeners: "largely wide-eyed, wide-awake young housewives and some shrewd-eyed young women who seem to be art teachers." Kurt forces all in attendance to consider when art is art and when art is life, and vice-a-versa. In the article, Duncan makes it all sound like fun.

An Interview with Dewain Valentine

Kurt interviewed sculptor Dewain Valentine in 1969 for Artforum magazine. They discussed the techniques and challenges of making large pieces of cast resin or fiberglass, aspects of shapes and transparency, and Valentine's enthusiasm for his early experience with lacquering hot-rods and cars. 

Public Lecture #1 at the Pasadena Art Museum: Aesthetic Values Jam Freeways

Kurt's whirlwind of activity at UCLA during 1966-67 included a series of public lectures given at the Pasadena Art Museum. The Los Angeles Times reporter Ray Duncan followed the series, and under the title "The Score in Art" reported on Kurt's talks. This article is the first of four.

Life and Death of Rock According to von Meier

In 1983 Kurt was still talking about Rock and Roll, nearly 20 years after his book draft on the History of Rock and Roll. This time it was a reporter from The State Hornet, the newspaper of Sacramento State University. The article has been converted to digital text, and copy of the original page in the newspaper is also available.

Cultural Revolution and the Native American Spirit

In 1970 Kurt delivered a guest lecture at Monterey Peninsula College, receiving his customary publicity in the local newspaper. Gratefully, an audio tape of that lecture was among his boxed archives, and has been converted to digital format. Read more to examine the article printed in advance of his lecture and for a link to the digital audio file (MP3) of the lecture itself.

Earth Rose vs. The People of the State of California

The 1960s were a period of transition in court decisions pertaining to obscenity, free speech and artistic expression. In February of 1968, Kurt testified as an expert witness at the obscenity trial of Steve Richmond, a poet and former student at UCLA. Richmond's one-page publication the Earth Rose included a provocative cover with the words "FUCK HATE" and a reverse side that featured poems by Charles Bukowski, a fellow-poet and friend. He was charged with a violation of Penal Code Section 311.2, distributing obscene material, a misdemeanor. Kurt prepared a written statement for submission to the court in advance of his testimony in support of the defendant, Richmond. Court testimony included a protracted discussion of the use of the word "FUCK".