‘Writers at Barnard’ series features profs across literary genres

As part of the “Writers at Barnard” series, Barnard will host authors Tanya Barfield, Shira Nayman, and Frances Richard as they read selections from their original writings this Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. Now in its eighth year, the series offers attendees a glimpse of the written work of Barnard professors.

The reading will be distinguished by its “aesthetic variety,” Timea Szell, director of the creative writing program at Barnard, said. The writers will present works from three different genres: drama, fiction, and poetry.

Barfield, a playwright and actress, is an adjunct assistant professor at Barnard who currently teaches a Playwriting II course. Her play “Blue Door,” which follows an African-American mathematician’s struggle with his identity, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Progressing through a single night, the play illuminates a protagonist grappling with his cultural heritage. Barfield's other works include the plays “Defacing Patriotic Property” and “The Houdini Act,” as well as a children’s musical.

The reading will also highlight the work of Nayman, an associate professor at Barnard, who teaches a fiction course. Her two fiction works, “Awake in the Dark” and “The Listener,” both portray the psychological effects of the Holocaust. A clinical psychologist, Nayman has worked in psychiatric hospitals and formerly taught psychology at Columbia.

Attendees will also hear poetry from associate professor Richard, who teaches a literary history class. Besides publications on contemporary art, Richard has written a collection of poems, “See Through,” characterized by its sonorous tone and the quick movement of its images.

The series was started by Barnard professor and author Mary Gordon and former Barnard professor Caryl Phillips. Past readers have included professors Saskia Hamilton and Sigrid Nunez. In addition to celebrating faculty endeavors, the series allows students to engage with their professors’ works and ideas beyond the classroom, according to Szell.

“I look forward to students seeing what their instructors are up to. They never regret coming,” she said. “It’s helpful for them to see that they are not the only writers.”