Documentary of the Day: Sister Corita Kent

Sister Corita Kent: The Artist-slash-nun who made colorful protest art in the 1960s

Yesterday I was showing my friend the voice-activated animations ai had been working on and she said it reminded her of Sister Corina Kent. I remember hearing about her in art school but I didn’t remember much else. So I looked it up. And I not only LOVED all the images and posters she made, but loved this 23-minute documentary too.

Corita Kent (1918–1986) was an artist, educator, and advocate for social justice. At age 18 she entered the religious order Immaculate Heart of Mary, eventually teaching in and then heading up the art department at Immaculate Heart College. Her work evolved from figurative and religious to incorporating advertising images and slogans, popular song lyrics, biblical verses, and literature. Throughout the ‘60s, her work became increasingly political, urging viewers to consider poverty, racism, and injustice. In 1968 she left the order and moved to Boston. After 1970, her work evolved into a sparser, introspective style, influenced by living in a new environment, a secular life, and her battles with cancer. She remained active in social causes until her death in 1986. At the time of her death, she had created almost 800 serigraph editions, thousands of watercolors, and innumerable public and private commissions.