To help enhance the Ackland Art Museum's fiftieth anniversary" the museum will discuss the literature of a UNC alumnus who has become one of the most popular poets in history.
Today and Thursday" the museum will host its ""Art and Literature in the Galleries"" event"" where fiction and poetry published in 1958 will be discussed. The event comes as part of the Ackland's ""Circa 1958: Breaking Ground in American Art"" series.
This week's literature consists of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's ""A Coney Island of the Mind.""
As the ninth installment of the literature series" which started in Jan. 2006" Ferlinghetti's poetry will diverge from previously discussed poetry.
The discussions are open to the public and consist of roughly 20 people per discussion. They are facilitated by an Ackland educator and one UNC faculty member.
""It's like the art — it's breaking new ground"" said Leslie Balkany, Ackland Art Museum educator. Things were being written that were unlike things written before in America.""
This is not the first time Ferlinghetti's work has been shown at UNC. Ferlinghetti graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1941 and also wrote for The Daily Tar Heel.
His collection of poetry"" ""A Coney Island of the Mind"" is one of the best selling books of poetry ever written, with more than 1 million copies printed.
Ferlinghetti's poetry does not follow the standard line and rhythm of traditional poetry"" Balkany said.
Though the connection between art and literature in the late 1950's may seem abstract, Balkany said many of the artists and writers intercommunicated.
A lot of the art in the exhibition and Ferlinghetti's poetry both make very strong social commentaries"" said Hassan Melehy, associate professor of romance languages, who is facilitating the event.
Melehy said during the event, he plans on discussing poetry's role and social commentary in 1958 through prepared questions.
The idea is to read the literature and make connections with works of art in the exhibition"" Balkany said. It is a way to bring art and literature together to see similarities between a visual object and the written word.""
The three-part literature and art series is also the first where the museum will offer two discussion sessions due to the event's high demand"" Balkany said.
""Beat literature has a lot of things to offer students about social commentary and the role of poetry in society and in social activism" Melehy said.
Both he and Balkany said students would experience the uniqueness of the event.
This is an opportunity to look and think about things in ways different than how you normally would" Balkany said. It broadens your mind.""
ATTEND THE LECTURE
Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today
Location: Ackland Art Museum
Info: www.ackland.org
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
