The Meridian Gallery’s “The Painted Word”

Originally published in the July 2012 edition of the Marina Times San Francisco

“The Painted Word” features artworks by 80 writers and poets of the San Francisco Renaissance and Beat Generation. During the 1950’s and 60’s, San Francisco experienced a creative awakening through its poetry, visual art and jazz.

In the early twentieth century, artist Marcel Duchamp asserted that art existed primarily in the mind instead of the eye. Language can also be a visual experience, and “The Painted Word” explores the place where text, sound and vision combine. What distinguishes this exhibition, says Executive Director Anne Brodzky, “is that it shows the culmination of different modes of visual art and writing from San Francisco Renaissance and Beat poets, which has never been done before in a major art exhibition.”

Artists include William Saroyan, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Kenneth Rexroth, Jack Hirschman, Jess, Robert Duncan, Michael McClure, Jack Micheline, Henry Miller, Kenneth Patchen, Christopher Felver, John Keating, William S. Burroughs, and David Meltzer. Selected works are available for sale.

Don’t miss the special closing event for “The Painted Word” on July 13th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Award-winning Actress and stage director Lissa Tyler Renoud will read poetry by Kenneth Rexroth, Robert Duncan, William Saroyan, and William Burroughs.

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