March 22nd, 2021

Corita Kent was an artist with an innovative voice and approach. She was known for her serigraphs that reflected messages on social justice issues such as poverty, racism and war in the 1960s. When Corita was 18 she entered the religious order Immaculate Heart of Mary, where she eventually became a teacher and moved into the art department at Immaculate Heart College. Her work increasingly became more and more political during her time at IHC. During her time she was commissioned to create a banner for 1964 World’s Fair in New York, was on the cover of Newsweek Magazine where they featured some of her work, organized a Christmas Display with her students at IBM in New York, and much more. She left order in 1968 and moved to Boston where she continued to develop her style and voice while also working on commissions. In 1974 she was diagnosed with cancer and then again in 1977, she fought it both times. The deCordova Museum did a retrospective of Corita’s work in 1980 and designed a postage stamp in 1983. In 1986 Corita passed due to the return of her cancer, her work was left to the Immaculate Heart Community, and later they formed the Corita Art Center to honor her legacy.

Corita was a female artist and voice who spoke out during unsettling times, she stood up for peace and justice and her work acts as a piece of history with some timeless messages.