Lilly Library showcases artistic side of Vonnegut, other classic authors

Most people have read and admired the beauty of Kurt Vonnegut’s words on a page, but not many have borne witness to the visual artwork that accompanied much of his writing.

On display at the Lilly Library is a collection of different art from various authors, including Vonnegut, Lewis Carroll, Joseph Conrad and Sylvia Plath.

The exhibit, titled “Authors as Artists,” began Monday and will remain at the library until Sept. 3.

“Our exhibits don’t always engage people totally, but this one people have really been examining piece by piece,” assistant curator Becky Cape said.

The diverse group of writers makes for a wide range of talents and types of drawings. Carroll, for example, knew his art wasn’t good enough for publication but still fancied himself an artist, Cape said. Hence, his works are more detailed than the quick,
cartoonish Christmas card caricatures by Ray Bradbury.

Though much of the art is actually like Bradbury’s sketches: quick, half-finished and revolving around the self, like E.E. Cummings’ penciled self-portrait or Orson Welles’ gloomy watercolor postcards.

Cape points to the elaborate, detailed creations of Nobel Prize winner Gunter Grass as one of the most striking parts of the exhibit.

“I was really most impressed with Grass’ work,” she said. “It’s some of the best for artistry.”

Cape said the works can tell people more about the artists.

“A lot of them are just doodles and sketches, things they did when they weren’t writing and are a little more personal,” she said.

The Lilly Library is open daily, except Sundays. Visit their website for more
information, http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/index.php

- Adam Lukach