The day before opening to the public, I had the privilege of attending the press preview for Corita Kent: The Sorcery of Images at the Marciano Art Foundation. The morning began with a warm welcome from Hanneke Skerath, MAF’s director, who described the exhibition as “a beautiful time capsule” of Los Angeles and of Corita’s singular way of seeing the world.
Co-curator Douglas Fogle and colleagues from the Corita Art Center expanded on that vision, emphasizing how Corita’s photographic archive—over 15,000 35mm slides—wasn’t just documentation but an integral tool in her creative process. Projected across three large screens, the selection of 1,100 images feels like stepping into her eyes: puppets, flowers, billboards, Mary’s Day celebrations, and slices of urban life all stitched together with joy and curiosity.
Listening to the curators, I found myself thinking about how nuns and “sisters” have shaped culture in surprising ways. From the inspiration of Mother Teresa, to Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Act films, to Warren Miller’s playful “flying nuns” on skis, their image keeps reappearing in both serious and whimsical contexts. In conversation with other attendees, I even learned about a recent New York Times piece highlighting three nuns in Austria and the obstacles they’ve faced, met with community support. Corita’s story, as both an artist and a Catholic nun who eventually left the order in 1968, adds yet another powerful dimension to this cultural tapestry.
While I loved the photographs, my heart was pulled to her 1968 series Circus Alphabet. Thirty serigraphs inspired by an e.e. cummings lecture, the series captures Corita’s brilliance at blending text, color, and play. My favorite? “Circus A: Damn Everything but the Circus” and “Z: Do Your Thing.” Bold, joyful, and deeply human.
Upcoming Highlights
The curators also shared some exciting upcoming programs:
- Catching Sight series continues October 3, with Colleen Smith and Jeff Parker presenting a spoken word and music duet alongside slides from Corita’s archive.
- On December 11, artist Paul Pfeiffer will give a lecture inspired by the collection.
- And most importantly, mark your calendars: Corita Day will be celebrated on November 22, 2025, a tradition honoring her legacy through the Corita Art Center.
Closing Reflections
What I took away most from the preview was the reminder, in Corita’s own words, that “doing and making are acts of hope.” Her art insists that beauty and joy are not escapes from the world’s troubles, but forms of resistance against them.
Her art insists that beauty and joy are not frivolous, but forms of resistance—ways of facing challenges with courage and imagination.
If you’re in Los Angeles, go see it:
Marciano Art Foundation
4357 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Corita Kent: The Sorcery of Images runs through January 24, 2026.
