I’ll be reading a poem and a novel excerpt on November 23rd at 1 p.m. at Cerritos College in Cerritos California as part of the PETER CARR: Artist for Survival showcase. This is the first comprehensive retrospective of poet, activist, and outsider artist Peter Carr’s work. The exhibition features his large-scale paintings, drawings, political posters, notebooks, and self-published books. Carr’s unique style and handwritten text from his poetry reflect his strong activist spirit.
Peter Carr co-founded the Orange County chapter of the Alliance for Survival and was the posthumous namesake for the Peter Carr Peace Center at Cal State Long Beach. His work provides sharp social commentary on the 1970s California coast, highlighting his opposition to the nuclear and military-industrial complex.
After teaching as a comparative literature professor at Cal State Long Beach for many years, Carr’s collection of drawings, paintings, and notebooks was passed on to his student and fellow activist, and my good friend, Andrew Tonkovich. The upcoming exhibition will be the first time many of these pieces will be publicly displayed.
The exhibition is organized around recurring themes in Carr’s archive, with section titles taken from his signature poems. Each section explores Carr’s fascination with California, individuals in transit, humanity’s connection with the natural world, ecological despair, societal issues, and the collective power of communities.
There’s a reception afterwards! Come by!!
