A popular saying that proclaims that “a picture is worth a thousand words” has come alive in the English Department at Carroll Community College. Faculty members have created a new and expanding gallery of framed, classic works in a K building hallway so that viewers may appreciate the wonderful marriage of poetry and art.

An ekphrastic poem comments on a work of visual art. For example, the opening stanzas of “The Man with the Blue Guitar” by Wallace Stevens are displayed alongside the painting that inspired the poem, “The Old Guitarist” by Pablo Picasso, painted in 1904 during his Blue Period. The poem “Nighthawks” by Samuel Yellen hangs next to the 1942 Edward Hopper painting of the same title. A poem titled “Matisse’s Dance” by Natalie Safir complements the 1909 painting “Dance I” by Henri Matisse.

These artistic collaborations can span centuries. Poems by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) and W. H. Auden (1907-1973) reference the 1558 painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. Paintings and ekphrastic poems are often included in expensive anthologies. In the drive to reduce textbook costs, the English Department chose texts without graphics and now display in the hallway framed prints of famous paintings, hung next to poems that were inspired by them.

“Everyone should have access to these wonderful works,” said Siobhan Wright, chair of the English Department and professor of English at Carroll. “Poetry and art do not exist in a vacuum,” she said. “Poets and painters inspire one another. This rich history of collaboration is evident in our gallery. I want to thank Dean Geppi and Dr. Ball for supporting this project while in the beginning stages.”

“Faculty members made the selections based upon existing curricula. They also considered the availability of such works in the format of wall hangings, and considered how the selections may help students understand a few poems and see the interconnectedness of the arts.” said Wright. “I am proud of our English faculty members for this project.”

The gallery adds a breath of fresh air to a world in which headphones, cell phones and other devices have become a primary form of sensory input, especially in the lives of students. Faculty members hope the gallery prompts viewers to have a quiet, introspective experience, that is visually and intellectually stimulating, so they may “unplug” from mobile technologies, at least for a brief moment.

The gallery also illustrates how the college is connected to the community as a fine and cultural arts destination. A future expanded gallery collection is expected to eventually draw visitors from the community. In time, the gallery may include works from local artists and poets who have authored high-quality ekphrastic poetry, perhaps through a contest that generates those submissions.

“The gallery is like an open classroom for our students, faculty, staff and community members,” said Wright.

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