Corita Kent, formerly Sister Mary Corita, is widely known for her exuberant serigraphs, inspired teaching methods, and lively art classes at Los Angeles’s Immaculate Heart College art department in the 1950s and 1960s. Corita was an enthusiastic photographer who shot thousands of 35mm slides documenting the art department’s activities, the urban landscape of Los Angeles, advertising, supermarkets, cookies, coke bottles, experiments, flowers, folk art, visits with Charles and Ray Eames, street signs, kites, and much more. The new book, Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us – edited by Julie Ault, Jason Fulford, and Jordan Weitzman, and published by J&L Books and Magic Hour Press – combines over 300 of Corita’s photos, annotated with excerpts from her writings and interviews.

To celebrate the release of Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us, two rarely-seen short films about Corita will be screened. The event will be hosted by co-publisher and co-editor Jordan Weitzman. Books will be available to purchase. 

Special thanks to Olivian Cha & Nellie Scott (Corita Art Center), Baylis & Aaron Glascock, and Thomas Conrad

Screenings of:

Baylis Glascock
We Have No Art, 1967

26 min, 16mm-to-digital
Glascock, a former student of Corita, presents an extraordinary view of her life as a teacher at Immaculate Heart College, where she taught from 1947 to 1968. Featuring rare footage of Corita with her students – engaged in everything from composing the iconic Ten Rules to taking “viewfinder” field trips to the tire store – this short film provides insight into her unique approach to teaching and art.

Thomas Conrad
Alleluia,1967

23 min, 16mm-to-digital
Conrad, another former student of Corita, subtitled his film Being a true account of the life and times of Sister Mary Corita, IHM. Accompanied by the artist’s narration, the film offers a rare glimpse into Corita’s serigraphy studio and artmaking process.

The book release follows the early Between Bridges exhibition Sister Corita: Works from the 1960s in London in 2006.