Corita Kent's Life and Legacy

“Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond the boundaries.” – Corita Kent

From a small town in Iowa to the “City of Angels” and beyond, Corita Kent’s life and work pushed the envelope and expanded the boundaries of the art world. Kent’s artwork, mainly in the medium of serigraphy, challenged viewers and the world at large to embrace universal messages of hope, love, and the pursuit of justice.

Corita Kent was a multi-disciplinary artist, teacher, and social justice advocate. She was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1918, but spent the majority of her upbringing in California after her family moved to Hollywood in 1923. In 1936, at the age of 18, Corita Kent joined the Order at the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles. She then began teaching art at Immaculate Heart College, a school that became increasingly known for its thriving art department and creative thinking. In 1951, Corita went on to obtain her Master’s Degree in art history at the University of Southern California, where she also first started to explore the art of screen printing, which would go on to become her signature medium.

Corita Kent, 1969 – Corita Art Center

The 1960s were a turbulent and revolutionary time in America. It was a period of political unrest with growing demands for long-lasting social change, but also a moment when the art and media landscape were rapidly changing. During this time, Corita Kent became the chair of the art department at Immaculate Heart College and transformed it into a hub of innovative teaching and creative expression. Corita was able to bring together giants of art and design from Buckminster Fuller to Charles Eames to Saul Bass as guest lecturers for her students. Through the lens of art, she taught her students to expand their worldview beyond borders and become active participants in political and social change.

These societal shifts were reflected in Corita’s personal art journey as well. Her work addressed the racial, socio-economic, and political landscape of the time. As the American government pushed further toward armed conflict, Corita used her art as a tool to create dialogue about the common good. She fused religious themes, bible verses, song lyrics, and pop culture into art that carried poignant anti-war sentiments. She believed that screen printing was one of the most democratic mediums available, making her art and her messages of love, hope, and justice as accessible to the public as possible.

Corita with serigraphs, c. 1960 – courtesy of Corita Art Center

During the late 1960s, Corita sought dispensation from her vows and relocated to Boston where she continued her screen-printing practice along with explorations in watercolor and commissioned public artworks. Some of her most iconic works include the 150-ft “Rainbow Swash” painted on the side of a natural gas tank and her “LOVE” United States Postal Service stamp that has sold 700 million copies to date.

In 1986, with her passing, Corita left her legacy to the Immaculate Heart Community; who, in turn, established the Corita Art Center to preserve and educate the public about Corita Kent’s life, legacy, and advocacy.

Learn more about the Blackwing 93, tribute to Corita Kent

Learn more about the Corita Art Center