Local creative writer and UMD student Faith King is celebrating her new art show, Diversions, at the Duluth Art Institute. The show opened on Nov. 9 and will run through Dec. 31. A reception will be held on Thurs. Nov. 16 from 5-7 p.m.
The exhibit consists of King’s poetry written to correspond with works of art by seven local artists, as well as two of her own works of art. Artists involved include Adam Swanson, Tonja Sell, Patricia Canelake, Sue Pavlatos, Joel Cooper, Tim White, and Jamie Uselman. All of the poetry is by Faith King.
"This collaboration of art and poetry is an ode to the little moments, and a search for reason fueled by local artistic expression," Faith says. "I thought about the small things we do to make it through the moments that comprise each day, given how stressful, frightening, or meaningful life can get." I happened upon the work of these artists by spending afternoons ambling through Duluth galleries; looking for art that suggested there might be a story within. The willingness of these artists to collaborate was a joyful surprise. I am honored by the opportunity to write poems based on such inspired and skilled works of art.
Faith's project began as a Summer Undergraduate Research and Creativity Activity Fellowship through the University of Wisconsin-Superior and continues to develop. "I was immediately drawn to the concept of Ekphrastic Writing, which conceptually combines artwork and poetry to explain, expound on, or generate information from the other form," Faith says. This body of work is a local and contemporary, theme-driven sample of Ekphrastic writing and artwork.
Faith is pursuing an MA in English with an emphasis in Writing Studies.
The Duluth Art Institute is located at 506 W Michigan St., in Duluth, Minn.
About the Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies