BmoreArt: Why did you select the idea of Romance Novels? What does this genre have to offer to a larger conversation that has previously been unexplored?
Lemieux: McDaniel College houses the Nora Roberts American Romance Collection, and it seemed natural that we consider a romance exhibit. That said, we still had to determine the two primary features associated with any exhibit — content and design. In an attempt to move beyond the genre’s stereotype and have a larger conversation, we focused on the genre’s breadth and depth. Namely, we focused on the aspects associated with the ‘business’ of romance — types of cover art, writing process, promotional materials, fan interaction, sub-genres, connections to pop art, etc.
Much of the cover art associated with romance novels features kitschy bodice ripper types of images and these books are quite popular. Although these images seem like a cliche, what kind of innovations or codes are hidden in them? Is there more to the eye than one expects of this kind of artwork?
One of our collaborators is Harlequin Enterprises, which is the largest publisher of romance novels. As part of our conversations, they were insistent that the industry is now much broader than the classic bodice ripper cover image. Yes, those images still exist, but there is now a greater degree of diversity within the stories, which gets reflected in the covers. Two of the cover art pieces they lent us reflect that. One piece is associated with an LGBTQ story and the other piece reflects a story about a Black female rancher. It’s clear to me that the industry is casting a much wider net.
What is the relationship between visual art exhibitions and artwork designed for a specific and practical purpose? How does seeing the book cover artwork in a gallery setting change the meaning and conversation around these kinds of images?
One of the things we attempt to do is explain the artwork via the process. In other words, what’s involved in creating a cover. It’s a much more involved process than people realize. The process starts with a form the author completes that addresses such aspects as story details, characters’ physical and emotional qualities, level of sensuality (low, medium, high), etc. This helps the artist envision the cover’s imagery.
Next, there’s a photo shoot with models, followed by a preliminary sketch of a cover. A creative art director will give his/her comments. Finally, the cover image is created, which in contemporary times is a digital image. In the classic era, the cover was an oil painting. This step is followed by a printed proof of the cover, with the added titles, author name, etc. Visitors have been very intrigued with this part of the exhibit, and I think it alters their original perception. It makes them realize that, stereotypes aside, this is a business.
My New Yorker newsletter sent me the following on Feb. 12, 2025 – “Reëxamining Romantic Tropes with the Ripped Bodice”and the story reiterates that romance novels, as well as this romance bookshop, are having a huge resurgence in popularity. What is going on with the zeitgeist around these kinds of books?
Sometimes I think we overthink things. Much has been made about the romance genre’s place in the hierarchy of literature. We get it, it’s low on the hierarchy! That narrative (no pun intended) gets reinforced over and over. We start looking for explanations as to why/how this low-level genre is so popular. Well, it’s the biggest money maker in all of literature, so something is going on. Perhaps it’s as simple as readers enjoying a story they connect to, with characters they connect to, and emotions they connect to. Maybe we should just accept that.
