Event

May 22, 2025

5 p.m.–9 p.m.

Art in Words - Writing@Mia: African Art & Its Influences (May)

"Ekphrasis is the use of vivid language to describe or respond to a work of visual art" (Academy of American Poets).

Visual art residing in and visiting the Twin Cities can provide powerful prompts for your writing! In this adventurous class, writer and Loft Executive & Artistic Director, Arleta Little, will invite participants to explore ekphrastic writing through discussion, exercises, and workshops while learning about visual art and artists from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Art in Words will provide writers across genres with opportunities to generate new writing and to discuss their writing within the context of the ekphrastic tradition. Participants will be asked to share comments and responses, both verbally and in writing. The African Art & Its Influences class will include award-winning visual artist, Ta-coumba Aiken, as a guest speaker.

In this learning partnership between the Loft Literary Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Art in Words classes will take place on Thursdays in the community rooms, studios or galleries at Mia.

Art in Words classes will include general admission to the Mia exhibits, lectures, galleries, and collections that will be the focus of the class. Open to all literary genres and levels, from the occasional journaler to published authors.

Class will be offered individually but consider taking more than one! Registration will open on the Mia website by mid-February.

Materials provided when onsite. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a notebook and pencil.

Consider the other programs in this series:
July Loft@Mia: GIANTS II: The Dean Collection

August Loft@Mia: Print Studio

September Loft@Mia: Photography Studio

October Loft@Mia: The Harlem Renaissance