Song With An Apple by Corita Kent

Sister Corita Kent, a prominent artist and social activist, was known for her colorful screenprinted posters. Her work often conveyed messages of love, hope, faith, education, and social justice. This poster above contains the message “Guard me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye.” This line references Psalm 17:8 in the Bible, in which David asks God to protect him from his enemies.

Kent often merged religious and commercial language in her art, as seen in this poster. At the top, the words “World’s Finest” appears in white all caps letters, creating an interesting contrast to the bible quote. 

The phrase appears to reference to the language of advertising and consumer culture while also suggesting the value of God’s creations. During the 1960s, mass production, commercial packaging, Pop Art and civil rights movement all influenced the broader visual culture. 

The composition is also interesting for its two columns of center-aligned irregularly positioned typography. This arrangement leads the viewer’s eye around the top of the apple, which occupies most of the space of the poster. The use of vibrant colors is also a reference to the work of Pop Art and the  high-contrast graphics to contemporary product packaging and consumerism.