The Summer 2025 edition of The Southern Review features ten of REWA’s artwork on both its cover and interior pages, continuing the journal’s tradition of showcasing impactful visual and literary voices.
Founded in 1935 at Louisiana State University, The Southern Review is one of the most revered literary journals in the United States, having published generations of influential contributors, including T.S. Eliot (Nobel Laureate in Literature) and Robert Penn Warren, the only writer to win Pulitzer Prizes in both poetry and fiction.
This Summer’s issue continues in that spirit, featuring new work by Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet, former U.S. Poet Laureate and professor at Harvard University, and David Lehman, founding editor of The Best American Poetry series. REWA’s inclusion alongside such distinguished company underscores the growing impact of her practice at the intersection of visual art and literary culture.
She joins the ranks of visual artists like MOMO and Kehinde Wiley, whose work has previously graced the pages of the journal. In this issue, REWA’s portraits serve as a visual counterpart to the written word; rooted in Igbo culture and contemporary African expression and inviting new audiences into her ongoing narrative.