Albers [on Black Mountain College ] was a beautiful teacher and an impossible person. He wasn't easy to talk to, and I found his criticism so excruciating and so devastating that I never asked for it. Years later, though, I'm still learning what he taught me, because what he taught me had to do with the entire visual world. He didn't teach you how to 'do art'. The focus was always on your personal sense of looking... I consider Albers the most important teacher I've ever had, and I'm sure that he considers me one of his poorest students. (Robert Rauschenberg)

Albers [on Black Mountain College ] was a beautiful teacher and an impossible person. He wasn't easy to talk to, and I found his criticism so excruciating and so devastating that I never asked for it. Years later, though, I'm still learning what he taught me, because what he taught me had to do with the entire visual world. He didn't teach you how to 'do art'. The focus was always on your personal sense of looking... I consider Albers the most important teacher I've ever had, and I'm sure that he considers me one of his poorest students.

Robert Rauschenberg

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art beautiful black college criticism easy entire found focus impossible later learning looking mountain person personal sense sure talk teach teacher visual world years albers

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