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Exploring Fan Art Past and Present

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Please join us on Thursday, June 2 for a fantastic presentation by Prints & Photographs Division archivist Maggie McCready exploring fan art.

Wondering what fan art is? Maggie has you covered, with an overview of the form and its history. She will showcase historical examples of Pre-Raphaelite artists’ visual explorations of Shakespeare, as well as more current examples from the Small Press Expo Collection, like this visual re-imagining of the Dark Souls video game by artist Natasha Tara Petrović.

Fan art by Natasha Tara Petrović shows castle and knights from the Dark Souls video game.
Jolly undead outcasts. Digital print by Natasha Tara Petrović, 2019. Used by permission. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2022642385/

This image by artist Natalie Andrewson reinterprets the medieval story of St. George and the Dragon, placing a fierce princess at the heart of the tale rather than St. George.

No need for George / Natalie Andrewson.
No need for George. Risograph by Natalie Andrewson, 2017. Used by permission. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2022642387/

In addition to the two examples provided in this blog post, attendees will be treated to many other examples of fan art, engaging with cultural products as varied as the “Star Wars” films, the musical “Hamilton,” and obscure television shows from the past several decades. The research value of the fan art in the collection will also be discussed, for those interested in deeper exploration. Whatever your level of knowledge, you will enjoy this accessible presentation.

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