Since 1964, Lebanese-American poet and painter Etel Adnan has been making "artist's books:" folding rolls of Japanese paper onto which she brings together poems and paintings with inks, pastels, and/or watercolors. On these folded "books," poetry becomes handwriting and drawing, and the accompanying paintings create a visual reading of the poems. The Sonoma State University Friends of the Library are sponsoring a display of Etel Adnan's "Artist's Books" in SSU's Ruben Salazar Library beginning November 23. The exhibit runs through January. The title of the exhibit is "When Poetry and Painting Meet."
Adnan writes in both French and English. She has published an enormous range of works including the internationally recognized novel about the Lebanese Civil War, Sitt Marie Rose.
Adnan's collection of "Artist's Books" was displayed earlier this fall in London. A reception for the exhibit is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1st from 4-6 p.m. in the Special Collections Room of the Sonoma State University library. The public is invited to attend.
A parking fee of $1.50 (six quarters) is required in all lots, Monday - Thursday, until 10 p.m. and Friday until 5 p.m.
The SSU library is open Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - midnight, Friday 8 a.m. -5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. It will be closed at specific times during the holiday season. For the library's holiday schedule, call (707) 664-2595.
For more information, contact Barbara Lesch McCaffry at (707) 664-2664.
