Friday, October 13, 2023
7:30 pm
ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
New York, NY
BOOK RELEASE EVENT!
Corita Kent, formerly Sister Mary Corita, is widely known for her exuberant serigraphs, inspired teaching methods, and lively art classes at Los Angeles’s Immaculate Heart College art department in the 1950s and 1960s. Corita was an enthusiastic photographer who shot thousands of 35mm slides documenting the art department’s activities, the urban landscape of Los Angeles, advertising, supermarkets, cookies, coke bottles, experiments, flowers, folk art, visits with Charles and Ray Eames, street signs, kites, and much more. The new book, “Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us” – edited by Julie Ault, Jason Fulford, and Jordan Weitzman, and published by J&L Books and Magic Hour Press – combines over 300 of Corita’s photos, annotated with excerpts from her writings and interviews.
To celebrate the release of “Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us”, two rarely-seen short films about Corita will be screened. The event will be hosted by the book’s editors, Ault, Fulford, and Weitzman, as well as contributor Olivian Cha, of the Corita Art Center, and will be followed by a reception. Books will be available to purchase.
Special thanks to Olivian Cha & Nellie Scott (Corita Art Center); and Baylis & Aaron Glascock.
Baylis Glascock
WE HAVE NO ART
1967, 26 min, 16mm-to-digital
Glascock, a former student of Corita, presents an extraordinary view of her life as a teacher at Immaculate Heart College, where she taught from 1947 to 1968. Featuring rare footage of Corita with her students – engaged in everything from composing the iconic Ten Rules to taking “viewfinder” field trips to the tire store – this short film provides insight into her unique approach to teaching and art.
Thomas Conrad
ALLELUIA
1967, 23 min, 16mm-to-digital
Conrad, another former student of Corita, subtitled ALLELUIA, “Being a true account of the life and times of Sister Mary Corita, IHM.” Accompanied by the artist’s narration, the film offers a rare glimpse into Corita’s serigraphy studio and artmaking process.