Books and Media

Major publications & catalogs

A foundational printmaking text.
Mentions Kent’s slate printing technique as a new medium in printmaking
Eichenberg praises Kent’s slate printing method as an innovative medium in printmaking.
Often cited as the earliest major book recognition of Kent’s technical innovation.

Surveys important printmakers and print techniques.
Discusses experimental print processes and postwar innovation, including slate-based methods associated with Kent’s era and practice

7 linear feet of materials: correspondence, interviews, photographs, exhibition files, and writings.
Documents his rise in the 1960s art world and later career.

Newspaper & magazine articles

Connecticut Magazine (Aug. 1998): “Connecticut Masters” by Alan Bisbort
New York Times (Sept. 3, 2000): “How Prints Got an Artist in Hot Water” Discusses controversy surrounding his provocative prints.
Durham Patch (Aug. 29, 2012): “Local Sculptor Gone, But His Work Won’t Soon Be Forgotton” by Michael Hayes
Obituary & community tribute describing his lifelong work and legacy
CT Insider (Nov. 3, 2012): “Durham’s Hidden Treasure: The Works of a Prickly Master Wood Carver” by Randall Beach
Durham Patch (Jan. 6, 2013) “Durham Artist’s Legacy Lives On” by Michael Hayes
The Crucifixion of Kent: Life and Work of an American Sculptor, Part One December 15, 2015
by Matthew Spellberg
The Crucifixion of Kent: Life and Work of an American Sculptor, Part Two December 22, 2015 by Matthew Spellberg
Hartford Courant (Oct. 12, 2024): “Radical Work of Late Connecticut Artist William Kent Continues to Make Grand Social Statements” by Christopher Arnott

Alan Bisbort’s essays and retrospectives (e.g., PleaseKillMe.com, Gadfly Online)

Kent was included in this major survey of contemporary artists.
Catalog essays address the emerging sculptural and print practices of the era.
Provides context placing Kent within Pop-era and post-minimalist experimentation.

Kent’s earliest critical reception and interpretive essays appear here.

Notable Catalogs:

William Kent (Castellane Gallery, 1962): Essay by dealer Richard Castellane introducing Kent’s slate carvings and prints. Discusses his relationship to emerging Pop and conceptual trends.
Erotic & Patriotic Prints of Sex & Violence (c. 1963–64): Gallery text contextualizes Kent’s satirical use of erotic imagery and political symbolism. Often referenced in later criticism due to controversy surrounding the work.
Castellane Gallery solo exhibitions (1964–1965): Essays situate Kent among experimental New York artists of the period. Includes early commentary on his slate printing technique.

Catalog commentary situates Kent’s work within contemporary American sculpture and printmaking.