17: Corita Kent

This month The Poster Boys look at the life and art of Corita Kent. A nun and teacher at Immaculate Heart College, and beginning in 1964 the chair of its art department, her silkscreens combined religious language with that of American advertising culture and the spirit of 60’s modern art. As a teacher, her philosophy and class exercises brought a radical and fresh perspective not just to the spiritual ideas of the church but to the artistic and creative process overall. Brandon and Sam reflect on her teachings and work, then open the Flat File for a look at the posters for Richard Lester’s feature-length Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night.

SHOW NOTES & LINKS

Corita Art Center AIGA: The Nun’s Story Sister Corita: We Have No Art, a 1967 documentary by Baylis Glascock Become a Microscope: 90 Statements on Sister Corita, a film by Aaron Rose Design Observer AIGA’s Gold Metal Recipient NPR - The Nun Inspired by Warhol New York Times - Warho’s Kindred Spirit in the Convent Facsimile Magazine

Music selections: “Bass on Titles” opening theme; Clips from Sister Corita: We Have No Art; The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night.”

Follow Brandon Schaefer at @seekandspeak, and Sam Smith at @samsmyth.

Special thanks to producer Adrian Cobb and to our presenting partner, AIGA’s Eye on Design blog.