Katherine showcases Art + Poetry at the Lib of Congress’ National Book Festival
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#LibraryOfCongressNationalBookFestival; #ArtLiteratureAndPoetry
Washington/Canadian-Media: Katherine Blood, curator of fine prints in the Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Division describes her showcasing art engaged with poetry and literature for the Library’s National Book Festival, “Art, Literature and Poetry: Creative Collaborations at the Library of Congress,” alongside colleagues Mark Dimunation and Stephanie Stillo
The festival program explored how art and poetry can share narrative space to amplify and deepen our appreciation of both creative languages.
Along with her colleagues, Katherine highlighted artists’ books and prints featuring Julia de Burgos, Ken Campbell, Kate DeCiccio, Emily Dickinson, Lesley Dill, Amanda Gorman, Joy Harjo, Langston Hughes, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., Bunky Echo-Hawk, Juan Felipe Herrera, Antonio Martorell, Joan Miró, Didier Mutel, Dennis O’Neill, Pablo Picasso, Artemio Rodríguez, Leonid Tishkov, Claire Van Vliet, and many others.
Besides this, Katherine shared some further artist prints that blend art and poetry in a variety of compelling ways.
Cy Twombly’s midcentury linocut was the result of an extraordinary creative collaboration at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. The Library’s impression bears an inscription by publisher Nicola Cernovich on the enclosed letterpress poem that tells the story of the print’s creation.
Twombly’s vigorous strokes, printed in deep black on salmon pink paper, are punctuated by “chatter” marks caused by relief areas in the linoleum matrix that give the work vibrating energy. The folded print contains Robert Duncan’s poem “Song of the Border-Guard.”
Barraza printed his poster at California’s Taller Tupac Ameru, which he co-founded with artist Favianna Rodriguez. Barraza is also co-founder of Dignidad Rebelde, along with partner and fellow artist Melanie Cervantes. Today, the print is part of the Library’s Mission Gráfica/La Raza Graphics Collection.
