UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Book artist and educator IBe’ Crawley will deliver an account of the artist’s book as a tool for multi-disciplinary studies for the Penn State University Libraries’ 2024 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts titled "Black Beauty in the Artist’s Book 11033." The lecture will take place from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, via Zoom. The event is free and open to all. Registration is required.
IBe’ Crawley’s book titled "11033" is a poetic rendering of historic research. The text is an imaginary interpretation of the main character Mary Morst — a pregnant Black mother serving time for murdering her husband in 1914. The narrative, whose language, structure and archival artifacts reveals the author’s sensitive imagination, sheds light on the complexity of judgment. "11033" is on view until Sept. 9 in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library exhibition "Where Beauty’s At”: Expressions of Black Visual Culture, co-curated by Adisa Vera Beatty and Brittany Frederick.
IBé Crawley is a visual artist and storyteller who serves as a founder and director of IBé Arts Institute in Hopewell, Virginia. She is the author of 11033 published at Women’s Studio Workshop, as well as the books "Delia Posey of Mount Vernon" (2022) and "Visible" (2023), both published by Black Market Press; her recent publication "The Book of Mary" (Black Market Press, 2024) gives an account and analysis of the book artist process.
Crawley’s most recent commissioned artist’s book, "A Dwelling for Her Story," is on exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., until October 2024. Crawley is also the recipient of a 2022 Looks Good on Paper award from Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Hyattsville, Maryland. She holds a master’s in education from Virginia Commonwealth University (1987).
The book "11033" is also featured in the film "Curating Black Visual Culture: The Making of an Exhibition," which offers a behind-the-scenes peek at how the exhibition "Where Beauty's At": Expressions of Black Visual Culture was conceived and created. Made in collaboration with Penn State’s student-run media production company the CommAgency, the film was made possible because of funds provided by the Kimlyn J. and John M. Patishnock Sr. Student Media Production Endowment in Special Collections.
The Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts is named in honor of the first Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair for Special Collections in the University Libraries. This annual event, featuring scholars and book artists with research areas connected to the materials held in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library, is funded by the Mary Louise Krumrine Endowment and the generous support it provides.
For additional information about this event or questions regarding access, contact Clara Drummond, Lead Curator and Exhibitions Coordinator, cjd86@psu.edu.