i can handle it 1966

Curator: Here we have Corita Kent’s bold screen print, "i can handle it," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The date of creation is unspecified. Editor: Its vibrancy is immediately striking. The interplay between those muted blues and the stark orange, juxtaposed against the red text… it's quite assertive. Curator: Indeed. Kent often combined text and image to convey potent messages. Here, the reversed question, "do you think I can handle it," challenges the viewer. Her style frequently integrated pop-art aesthetics with messages of peace and social justice. Editor: The layering and the slightly misregistered colors lend it a raw, almost urgent feel. It departs from perfect symmetry and calls attention to the materiality of the print itself, the process, the hand. Curator: Considering Kent's background as a Catholic nun, the use of commercial art techniques to spread messages of faith and activism is particularly compelling. Editor: It makes you wonder about the social landscape in which this work would have originally been received. Curator: Yes, understanding the context deepens our appreciation of its visual language and message. Editor: Ultimately, it's a potent reminder that art can be both visually arresting and deeply meaningful.