Revolutionary Imagination: Chicago Surrealism from Object to Activism

In conjunction with the Arts Club of Chicago’s summer exhibition A Home for Surrealism, this two-day program will explore the legacy of Surrealism in Chicago in all of its dimensions, from histories of collecting and display to surrealist artistic practices. In a series of lectures and discussions, a set of international scholars and historical practitioners of Surrealism will examine the movement’s story in Chicago from the standpoint of local art institutions and activist politics alike.

Documentary 'Fakes': Edward Steichen's The Family of Man and 20th-Century American Photographic Discourse

This talk by Prof. Gerd Hurm (Trier Center for American Studies, University of Trier) will revisit key 20th-century debates about American documentary discourse which continue to be of central relevance for contemporary photography and visual studies discussions. It will radically revise and reconfigure in particular the debate about the most influential text/image installation in the history of photography, the 1955 'Chicago-inspired' Family of Man by the Luxembourg-born American artist Edward Steichen.

Careers in Editing and Publishing: A Conversation with Gregory Nosan and Prudence Peiffer

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work as an editor after finishing your M.A. or Ph.D.? Join PATHS and the Department of Art History for a conversation on launching careers and achieving leadership roles as editors in the art world. Panelist Gregory Nosan (Ph.D. English, UChicago) is the Executive Director of Publishing at The Art Institute of Chicago. Prudence Peiffer (Ph.D. Art History, Harvard) is an art historian, writer, and a former Senior Editor at Artforum.

Yesomi Umolu appointed Artistic Director of 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial

The Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB) announced the appointment of Yesomi Umolu, the Curator of Logan Center Exhibitions and Lecturer in the Departments of Art History and Visual Arts, as the artistic director of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

2018 Midwest Conference on Mesoamerican Archaeology and Etnnohistory

The 2018 Meetings of the Midwest Conference on Mesoamerican Archaeology and Etnnohistory will be held at the University of Chicago on March 16-17.  The keynote speech by Hattula Moholy-Nagy, “Lowland Maya Archaeology in a Gilded Age: The University of Pennsylvania Museum’s Tikal Project,” begins at 5 pm on Friday evening.  Presentations on Saturday address questions of materiality, ideology, and continuity in tradition from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. 

Smart Museum of Art establishes Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry

The Smart Museum of Art is launching a center focused on integrating object-driven inquiry throughout the University of Chicago.

The Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry will provide a new resource for UChicago students, artists and faculty across disciplines—from art history to the physical sciences. It will be a destination for scholars and community members to engage in interdisciplinary research, learning and conversations driven by the study and experience of original works of art.

Claudia Brittenham Awarded NEH Fellowship

Claudia Brittenham, Associate Professor of Art History and the College has received a National Endowment for the Humanities award for the 2018-2019 academic year. Brittenham plans to use her fellowship to finish her book project, “Unseen Art: Memory, Vision, and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica. Brittenham’s book will examine the conditions under which ancient art was viewed and experienced, focusing particularly on ancient practices opposed to modern models of museum display.

Down with Monuments?

Down with Monuments? On the Making and Unmaking of Public Monuments

Nature, Gardens, and Landscape

Urban Art and the Block: Nature, Gardens, and Landscape

In the format of a conversation, participants will speak to how the role of aesthetics in their practice/work intersects with their interest in gardens, landscape, and urban nature.

Dinner will be served, and space is limited.

Currency Exchange Cafe, 305 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago, IL 60637

Places - Making, Unmaking, and Unmasking

Urban Art and the Block: Places - Making, Unmaking, and Unmasking

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