2017 Art & Art History Newsletter
Dear Friends,
A warm welcome from the Department of Art & Art History! As I start my term as the department’s new chair, I wish to extend my thanks to Elizabeth Mead for the outstanding job she did in shepherding the department through the past three years. I also want to take a moment to catch you up on our departmental news and alert you to a few upcoming events. Most especially, we hope to see you at our Homecoming Brunch on October 21.
It has been an exceptionally busy and exciting year in and around Andrews Hall. We are delighted to welcome Eliot Dudik (Photography) and Michael Gaynes (Sculpture) in their new position as Lecturers, and Mike Strumbas (Ceramics) and Anne Williams (Medieval Art) as Visiting Assistant Professors. We are also thrilled to announce the promotion of Xin Conan-Wu and Michael Jabbur to Associate Professor, and Brian Kreydatus and Elizabeth Mead to Full.
Our faculty continues to be exceptionally productive in research and creative scholarship, garnering recognition within the College, nationally, and internationally. Please check our most recent faculty announcements about publications, awards, and exhibitions. Among the many and varied student accomplishments this year are three honors theses in Art History and six Catron scholarship awards for artistic development. This past year has seen a flurry of distinguished lecturers, gallery events, artist talks, and workshops. We would be delighted to see you at any of our departmental events. On October 19, a lecture by Stanley Lewis, Distinguished Visiting Artist, will kick off our Homecoming Weekend.
This year, we are in the midst of wonderful changes with new curricular initiative in progress. After more than two years, our new darkroom and digital lab facilities are complete and we are excited to offer a full-fledged photography program. Next academic year, we are launching new Art History tracks in Critical Curatorial Studies and Built Environment Studies and inaugurating an Annual Art History Student Symposium.
Please stay in touch, and send us brief notes about how you are and what you are doing. Our current students are eager to learn about what alums who passed through our program are doing. I look forward to working with you to broaden the flow of communication and strengthen our Art & Art History community. Your enthusiasm and support are part of what make this an exciting department for the faculty and students.
With all best wishes,
Sibel Zandi-Sayek
Chair, Department of Art and Art History
