Sister Corita Kent
I was reminded of the genius of Sister Corita Kent on two occasions recently. Firstly Julian House's stunning artwork for latest Ghost Box release Hintermass' The Apple Tree, which echoes her graphic style wonderfully. Secondly this instalment of NTS Radio's Time is Away show, which mixes sunshine folk with snippets of her inspiring wisdom on life and creativity.
Sadly she still remains a somewhat sidelined exponent of American pop art, using popular culture references and appropriating consumerist slogans to communicate spiritual, social and political ideas as early as 1962. Her use of screen printing helped popularise it as a fine art medium.
She taught at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles until 1968, creating an exciting and progressive creative environment, whose active members included John Cage, Saul Bass, Buckminster Fuller and Charles & Ray Eames. I love her work, but the photographs documenting her teaching practice and amazing exhibition design blow me away every time, see below:
Scans are from Graphis 151 and Come Alive! The Spirited Art of Sister Corita by Julie Ault, published by Four Corners Books. There is a great Tumblr featuring lots of her graphic work here.
I was unaware of Sister Corita, but you're right about the Hintermass art. Lovely stuff.
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