Friday, 31 Oct 2025
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA
logo logo
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
  • 🔥
  • Trump
  • VIDEO
  • House
  • White
  • ScienceAlert
  • Trumps
  • Watch
  • man
  • Health
  • Season
Font ResizerAa
American FocusAmerican Focus
Search
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
Follow US
© 2024 americanfocus.online – All Rights Reserved.
American Focus > Blog > Culture and Arts > Sister Corita Kent Found the Sacred in the Profane 
Culture and Arts

Sister Corita Kent Found the Sacred in the Profane 

Last updated: October 6, 2025 4:45 pm
Share
Sister Corita Kent Found the Sacred in the Profane 
SHARE

LOS ANGELES — In the circus alphabet (1968) series by the late artist Sister Corita Kent, the letter “T” stands for “tight rope.” Each of the 30 serigraph prints within this series showcases a different letter, with the “T” print notably featuring the phrase “High Wire Artists” alongside elegantly dressed figures striding across taut, precarious lines. This metaphor resonates deeply, evoking the image of Corita herself, an inspiring figure straddling various identities. Until her passing in 1976, Corita was a member of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hollywood, deftly balancing roles as an art teacher, Roman Catholic nun, activist, and artist. Her bold activism often put her at odds with Los Angeles’ conservative Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, who regularly challenged her reformist views and outspoken artwork.

Currently on display at the Marciano Art Foundation (MAF), Corita Kent: Sorcery of Images presents the artist’s work against a backdrop of challenging institutional complexities. Situated in a grand, repurposed Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, MAF has faced controversies since 2017, including scrutiny over its lack of transparency and accountability. Notably, in 2019, it closed its doors shortly after part-time staff initiated a unionization effort and continues to grapple with allegations that it functions more as a tax shelter than a public-serving entity, with the Los Angeles Times reporting on the absence of a governing board.

Installation view of Corita Kent, “Sorcery of Images” (undated), selections from the Corita Slide Collection edited by Michelle Silva, 1,132 35mm slides transferred to digital TIFF files

The exhibition features a collection of screenprints and serigraphs displayed in the lobby, library, and nearby rooms. The main installation, “Corita Kent: Sorcery of Images” (2025), takes center stage in a large theater gallery on the ground floor, where three sizable screens present selections from the artist’s previously unseen photographic archive. The displayed artwork is less overtly didactic or political than Corita’s own persona. It embodies a message encouraging trust in the viewer’s ability to forge personal connections, a sentiment echoed in her own words as noted in the exhibition’s press release. The installation resembles the lecture slide presentations Corita used as an educator, while also harkening back to the classrooms of the former Masonic Temple where the order’s profound religious teachings took place.

See also  Women Art Collectors Are Outspending Men, Survey Finds

The arrangement of the installation fosters an accumulation of meaning through associative connections rather than through direct arguments. The screens play a dynamic presentation, interweaving documentary captures of everyday life with highlights of Corita’s activism. Natural associations form through the montage style of the display: recurring visuals of kites and jubilant balloons from the sisters’ Mary’s Day parade contrast beautifully against clear blue skies, reminiscent of scenes showing Corita’s sisters at protests with their habits striking against the vibrant backdrop. This imagery reveals their activism infused with a sense of joyful ritual, celebrating events as sacred as traditional religious holidays.

Within circus alphabet, “W” signifies “what women know.” Its accompanying line is borrowed from an E. E. Cummings poem which proclaims, “damn everything that is… unrisking, inward turning.” While this particular exhibition may take few risks, it offers a valuable glimpse into the artist’s life as outward-focused—intertwined with complex institutions. Corita found ways to instill the sacred within conflict: in 1964, she introduced a significant anti-war billboard that coupled her activist artistry with the ubiquitous commercial street signage. She described it as “the most religious thing I have ever done.”

Installation view of Corita Kent, “Mary’s Day Procession, May 1966, Immaculate Heart College” (1966), 35 mm slide transferred to vinyl

Installation view of Corita Kent: Sorcery of Images within the Marciano Art Foundation library

Installation view of Corita Kent, circus alphabet (1968), 30 serigraphs

Installation view of Corita Kent, “Sorcery of Images” (undated), selections from the Corita Slide Collection edited by Michelle Silva, 1,132 35mm slides transferred to digital TIFF files

Corita Kent: The Sorcery of Images is being showcased at the Marciano Art Foundation (4357 Wilshire Boulevard, Windsor Square, Los Angeles) until January 24, 2026.

TAGGED:CoritaKentProfaneSacredSister
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Galaxies fling out matter much more violently than we thought
Next Article The ‘Hollywood Dose’: Celebs Are Microdosing This Little Pill for Glowing Skin The ‘Hollywood Dose’: Celebs Are Microdosing This Little Pill for Glowing Skin
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Posts

How Life’s Hardest Moments Became My Greatest Teachers

Trauma is often associated with pain, loss, and adversity. However, for some individuals, trauma can…

June 3, 2025

Ben Affleck Laughs Off Most Eligible Bachelor Compliment, Says He Loves Latinas

Ben Affleck I Love My Latinas!!! Published May 8, 2025 4:07 PM PDT Play video…

May 8, 2025

SHOCK POLL: Trump’s Approval Rating Among Black Men Soars to 42 Percent |

President Trump's approval rating among black men has soared to 42 percent, a new polling…

February 12, 2025

4 Indians Charred In Multi-Car Crash In US, They Were Carpooling

Aryan Raghunath Orampati from Hyderabad and Darshini Vasudevan from Tamil Nadu are among the 4…

September 3, 2024

Donald Trump Reaches 80-Year Record Low Approval Rating

Trump's Approval Rating Hits Record Low According to CNN pollster Harry Enten, Trump's net approval…

April 27, 2025

You Might Also Like

Two Arrested; Director Gets Support From Peers
Culture and Arts

Two Arrested; Director Gets Support From Peers

October 31, 2025
Mickalene Thomas Sued for M Over Abuse Allegations
Culture and Arts

Mickalene Thomas Sued for $14M Over Abuse Allegations

October 31, 2025
Pompeii’s Elite Once Lived in Luxury Towers, Research Says
Culture and Arts

Pompeii’s Elite Once Lived in Luxury Towers, Research Says

October 31, 2025
Koyo Kouoh’s Final Lesson on Pan-African Solidarity
Culture and Arts

Koyo Kouoh’s Final Lesson on Pan-African Solidarity

October 31, 2025
logo logo
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


Explore global affairs, political insights, and linguistic origins. Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage of world news, politics, and Lifestyle.

Top Categories
  • Crime
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech and Science
Usefull Links
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA

© 2024 americanfocus.online –  All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?