Gianna Tully, with advisor Liz Gray, associate professor of English, examines the work of women poets and visual artists for her project “Unveiling the Masks of the Women Artists of Second Wave Feminism.”
I am an English writing arts and art history double major. I am extremely interested in both of these disciplines, and I love the ways they interact with one another. English was a natural choice for me after high school because I have always loved reading and writing. I added art history later to encompass my love of different artistic periods and the activist themes that inspire artists.
Tell us about your honors project.
My honors project combines both my majors, using some rhetorical and aesthetic lenses to analyze different creative genres. Assessing visual art pieces and poetry made during Second Wave Feminism, I am analyzing how different artistic genres serve as activism. I’ve chosen specific works made by Carolee Schneemann, Hannah Wilke, Adrienne Rich, and Lucille Clifton as examples representing the general whole of women creating art during this movement. These selected works address themes of bodily autonomy, identity, and social tensions. I am drawing conclusions about how the genres of visual art and poetry use activist themes to promote the feminist movement and what the social implications of those works are.
What activities are you involved in?
I am the president of The Manuscript, Moravian’s literary magazine. I work as a writing center consultant and a writing fellow. Additionally, I am the student assistant for the Center for Academic Excellence.
What’s next after you graduate?
I plan to go to graduate school to pursue a degree in literacy studies.
Tell us about one of the best experiences you’ve had at Moravian University.
Writing at Moravian (WAM) has been an integral part of my excellent experience at this school. Working as a writing center consultant and writing fellow have been very rewarding, but WAM has given me so much more than that. I have met faculty, staff, and students who encourage me, support me, and push me to grow. Being a part of this program in so many different capacities has been the epicenter of all my best experiences at Moravian.
What have you discovered about yourself since you’ve been at Moravian?
I have discovered so much about myself as a writer in the broadest sense of the term. I have gained so much knowledge about writing studies as a discipline. I’ve discovered how I function as a writer academically, personally, and in the world. I’ve found niche interests in writing studies that I would never have known about if it weren’t for the classes I’ve taken and the activities in which I’ve been involved. Moravian has given me the space and resources to discover my purpose and passions through writing.
Share something about yourself that may surprise people.
I have a rubber duck collection.
What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not studying and why?
If I’m not studying or working on homework, I am most definitely either reading or watching too much TV. I love to unwind with fictional stories and characters in any capacity, so books and TV shows provide me with the comfort and entertainment I crave.
What book, film, song, or piece of art do you find unforgettable?
The most unforgettable and important book to me is Writers and Lovers by Lily King. It is a fantastic literary fiction novel about a young woman discovering herself through her relationships and her art. I see myself in the main character and feel it addresses mental health, grief, love, and creative passion well.
Where’s home?
I’m from Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, but I feel the Lehigh Valley as a whole has been a wonderful place to grow up.