Kerr Houston, Professor, Maryland Institute College of Art and Johns Hopkins University

Marjane Satrapi and the Rise of Graphic Novels

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 1:30 PM EDT

Hybrid in-person and online program at The Woman's Club of Roland Park & via Zoom

The recent death of Marjane Satrapi offers an opportunity to reflect upon her considerable accomplishments as an author and artist and to explore her role in popularizing the graphic novel as an artistic and literary form. In this talk, we’ll examine the style, central themes, and impact of her celebrated Persepolis. We will begin to situate it in relationship to significant precedents (including The Adventures of Tintin and The Eternaut), the emergence of the genre (with looks at A Contract with God and Maus), and its broader influence in works such as Fun Home. As a result, this talk will be part encomium, part evaluation: a celebration of Satrapi’s work through an art historical lens.

$15 fee for guests and subscribers (no fee for members)

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