2010-02-16

The printed works of Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. are currently on display at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Main Library through March 3, 2010.  The Speaking Unconventionally exhibit features books, posters, and assorted formats by the letterpress artist from the collection of The Rare Book & Manuscript Library , along with a large selection of current posters.

Internationally known for his charged posters and artist books, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. uses print media to bring complicated issues such as race and gender into the forefront of the public consciousness.  Kennedy used to live a middle class life, with a family and a job as a computer programmer at an international telecommunications company.  He walked away from it all to become an artist in the lost crafts of printing and book art.  Kennedy began with fine press books with his first venture, “The Idiot Press, the Private Press of Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.”  He now prints out of Gordo, Alabama, under the imprint “Kennedy Prints!” and focuses on posters, community broadsides, and other ephemera.  Kennedy also lectures and teaches all over the United States.

In addition to the book and poster exhibit, located on the ground floor of the Main Library in the North-South corridor, Kennedy will be an artist-in-residence on the Illinois campus from February 28 through March 3.  During his visit, he will give a lecture and produce an artist book edition with Soybean Press .

An off-the-wall sale of posters in the exhibit will take place in the Main Library at 1 p.m. on March 1.

Posters will also be on display at IndiGo Gallery in Champaign, Illinois, between March 1 and 3.  A large selection of posters will go on sale at a closing reception here on March 3.

For more information, visit go.illinois.edu/APKJ .

Do you have a story you’d like added to the Library News & Events? If so, please contact Heather Murphy ( hmurphy@illinois.edu ).