Lit Fest 2024

In Six Memos for the Next Millennium, Italo Calvino writes that “we can distinguish between two types of imaginative processes, one that begins with words and ends with the visual image, and another that begins with the visual image and ends with its verbal expression.” In this seminar, we’ll examine the imaginative process that begins with the visual (with a focus on painting and photography), and use images to enhance writing. We’ll consider the ways in which the images convey meaning, refract a character’s experiences, or reveal the limitations of language. And through writing exercises, we’ll attempt to incorporate the visual into our own writing. Participants are encouraged to bring images that inspire them; pictures will also be provided for the group writing sessions.