Former Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X. Walker doesn’t fit neatly into one box. The multidisciplinary artist and writer has written about everything from the American Civil War to superheroes and the Danville native coined the term “Affrilachia,” using it as the title of his 1991 poetry collection that celebrated Black Appalachian culture.
Walker – who was the first African-American to hold the post of poet laureate in the state – spoke with WKMS ahead of two programs he’s scheduled to be a part of in western Kentucky.
In the interview, which can be heard in its entirety at the top of this page, Walker talks about his evolution as an artist, his connection to Appalachia and current artists working in the region like Silas House. He also previews the upcoming events.
This Saturday, Aug. 16, Walker will present a PowerPoint on his multidisciplinary creativity, including pieces from an upcoming exhibition, at the Janice Mason Art Museum in Cadiz as a part of their ArtTalk series. He said the program will include snippets from his plays, photography, visual art and writing throughout the decades, including from an early play called “Star Black.”
“I think seeing those in real time, hopefully would be worth making the journey over to the gallery talk,” Walker said. “Two pieces are from a future exhibit that's going up next month that are part of my ‘Africans in Outer Space’ series, and one has a young boy modeled after my own son trying on an astronaut's glove and in the background are scenes from outer space.”
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Walker will return for a lecture on his poetry at the Curris Center Ballroom on the campus of Murray State University on Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
“When I return, I'll focus more on the literary production and references to visual art and some of the other things. In fact, I'll probably share as part of the reading, at least part of a short story that I'm working on this week while in residence. I'm down here for this amazing residency, and it's hard not to be inspired,” he said. “I'm not hearing the sirens, I'm not hearing the helicopters. So it seemed like the cicadas are louder. It's just pulling me in a different direction, and I know that as soon as I get used to it, it’ll be time to go.”
Both events are free and open to the public.
