The Grapevine

JOB: Associate Professor, American Art @ Spelman College

The Department of Art & Visual Culture at Spelman College invites applications for a full-time associate professor position in American art history/curatorial studies with specialization in African American art. We especially welcome applicants whose research addresses contemporary practice, race, gender and technology.

We seek scholars who are able to teach survey and advanced level courses while pursuing an active research/curatorial projects agenda. An ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching and student advising, as well as scholarship and service on committees within and beyond the department.

 

The successful candidate will join the College’s efforts in fashioning a curatorial studies concentration and positioning curatorial studies as a specialized focus of art history. The Department of Art & Visual Culture in collaboration with the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art currently prepares the next generation of African American art historians with a specialized knowledge of curatorial studies.

The application deadline is midnight (EST) on February 28, 2018. Applicant must hold a PhD and have a strong publication profile. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate interdisciplinary and creative approaches to teaching.

To apply, candidates must submit a cover letter of interest, curriculum vitae, two writing
samples, a sample syllabus, and contact information for three references to: Recruiter, Office of Human Resources, Spelman College.

Link: https://spelman.peopleadmin.com/postings/1418

ARTS@Spelman, which includes the departments of Art & Visual Culture, Theater and Performance, Dance Performance & Choreography, Music, the Digital Moving Image Salon, the Museum of Fine Art and the Innovation Lab, are currently in the process of re-conceptualizing the academic curriculum to best meet the needs of a 21st century liberal arts institution. Likewise, the College is planning a new arts and innovation center, which will be an interdisciplinary environment that supports and advances experimentation, collaboration, active play, research, and the imaginative use of digital technologies.

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a private four-year liberal arts college located in Atlanta, GA. Spelman College is a global leader in the education of women of African descent.

Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Spelman College is a member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium and the Atlanta

Memorial Service for Helen Shannon @ University of the Arts

Helen Shannon Memorial-flyer

FEL: Post doctoral fellowship in Art History of the African Diaspora @ Cooper Union

Applications are invited for the Cooper Union Postdoctoral Fellowship in Art History.

Salary: $45,000 plus health insurance, travel and research funds, access to a library consortium including Cooper Union, NYU, and the New School.

This two-year teaching fellowship in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is open to individuals who have been awarded the Ph.D. in art history or an allied field after September 1, 2013. Applicants who have not yet been awarded the degree but will have degree in hand by September 1, 2018, must submit a letter from their department chair confirming that the degree is expected by the start date of the fellowship. The period of the fellowship is September 1, 2018, through May 31, 2020. Priority will be given to candidates with a specialty in the arts of the African Diaspora.

The position requires teaching three courses per academic year: An elective designed by the fellow in her or his area of specialization, and a Fall and Spring section of “Modern to Contemporary: An Introduction to Art History.” This survey is part of the Foundation curriculum for School of Art students but open to all Cooper Union students.

In addition to teaching, the fellow will participate in an ongoing interrogation of global art perspectives and their integration into the survey. Our revisions will effect long-term curricular change within the Foundation Program.

The fellow will partake in the intellectual life of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and of Cooper Union in general, and will give one research presentation each academic year.

The Cooper Union was founded in 1859 by philanthropist Peter Cooper to provide an education “equal to the best” to all who qualify, regardless of race, religion, gender, wealth or social status. Today, The Cooper Union provides a rigorous professional education in the Schools of Art, Architecture, and Engineering, including a broad curriculum offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Fostering a culture of collaboration among a diverse student body and faculty, The Cooper Union teaches students that art, architecture, and engineering have cultural, environmental, and ethical contexts and consequences. As students develop their professional abilities, they recognize their responsibility to advance science and art and to create a sustainable future.

Read more about the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences https://cooper.edu/humanities and the School of Art https://cooper.edu/art.

The Search Committee will begin candidate reviews immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please apply promptly to be considered for an interview at the CAA Annual Conference, Los Angeles, February 21-24, 2018.

A cover letter
A current c.v.
A two-page description of the candidate’s current and future research plans, teaching experience and philosophy
Three letters of recommendation

This is a unionized position.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Submit resume and cover letter to:
Human Resources
30 Cooper Square, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003

Or email to: hr@cooper.edu

 

Curator, Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College (Winter Park, FL) — Apply Now

For more information,  look here.

Curator

Job no: 492722
Work type: Staff (Full-Time)
Location: Winter Park, FL
Categories: Cornell Fine Arts Museum
Division: Academic Affairs

The Curator is responsible for collection scholarship as well as exhibitions, acquisitions, research and publications. Working closely with the Bruce A. Beal Director, the Curator plans and implements an ambitious schedule of exhibitions and educational programs built around, and complementing, the permanent collection.  The museum has been on a path of rapid growth and is engaged in plans for a new facility; the Curator will work closely with the Director to take the museum into its next institutional phase and future home.  Additionally, the Curator is the liaison with Rollins faculty and students, and actively pursues strategies of engagement for campus and community alike.

The Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College is a teaching museum that stimulates transformative encounters with works of art while integrating art learning into daily life for campus and community.

Primary responsibilities include:

  • Oversees the research, exhibition, care and publication of the permanent collection. Part of the contemporary art collection is on view at The Alfond Inn, a boutique hotel owned by Rollins whose proceeds go to student scholarships.
    • The collection comprises over 5,500 works of art ranging from antiquity to contemporary and includes the only European Old Masters collection in the Orlando area, a growing American art collection, and the forward looking Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art. Holdings also include Bloomsbury Group paintings and drawings; over 1,500 European and American works on paper; and ethnographic objects.
    • Works with Bruce A. Beal Director and the Collections Committee of the Board (of which s/he is an ex-officio member) on strategy and development of the collection, including making specific recommendations for acquisitions.
  • Oversees planning, R&D and implementation of museum exhibitions including:
    • Acts as curator or co-curator on select exhibitions, and/or liaises with guest curators and other contributors, with partner institutions and the Rollins campus.
    • Works with the Collections and Exhibitions Manager and Lead Preparator on installations, exhibition and graphic design, and with other staff on PR and outreach for exhibitions.
  • Works collaboratively with the Bruce A. Beal Director to plan and implement educational programs and public events consistent with the mission of the museum.
  • Supervises the curatorial staff of the museum (Collection and Exhibitions Manager; Lead Preparator; Dale Montgomery Curatorial Fellow; Education Coordinator); the Fred Hicks Fellow (a yearly fellowship for a Rollins student) and other interns.
  • Provides scholarship for Museum catalogs and other publications, as well as for special educational programs and public lectures.

Minimum Qualifications:

 

  • Advanced degree in Art History (Ph.D. preferred) with specialty in contemporary art backed by broad knowledge of European and American art history and a record of scholarly publications.
  • At least ten years of curatorial experience in an art museum including collection care and a track record of successful exhibitions; experience with an encyclopedic collection a plus.
  • Superior interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills; must be a proactive team member and enjoy the environment of a small, hands-on museum staff. Excellent managerial, planning, and organizational skills a must, as well as the ability to multitask, prioritize and perform under pressure.
  • Commitment to excellence in all aspects of museum work including scholarship, education, collections care, public outreach and institutional development.

 

Special Instructions to Applicants:

To apply, please submit an application and upload the following materials:

  1. Cover letter
  2. Resume

Screening of applications will begin immediately.

Rollins offers a competitive salary plus a generous benefits package featuring comprehensive health insurance coverage, generous paid time off, retirement savings plan with generous employer contribution, full tuition waiver after one year for employees, spouses, domestic partners and dependents.

Our Values: 

Rollins seeks to foster and to model a campus environment that is welcoming, safe, and inclusive to all of our administrators, faculty, staff, and students. We view differences (e.g. nationality, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, physical ability, learning styles, perspectives, etc.) not as obstacles to be overcome but as rich opportunities for understanding, learning, and growth.

Through its mission, Rollins College is firmly committed to creating a just community that embraces multiculturalism; persons from historically under-represented minority groups are therefore encouraged to apply. Rollins does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical characteristics, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law, in its educational programs and activities.

Research on Louisiana to Northern California African-American migration, pre-1980s

A San Jose State University sociologist is documenting African-American migration from Louisiana to San Francisco Bay Area before the 1980s and the subsequent resettlement experiences of the migrants.

  • If you or your parents migrated from Louisiana and settled in the San Francisco Bay Area prior to the 1980s, you are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Faustina M. DuCros, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at San José State University.
  • The purpose of this research study is to document the migration and re-settlement experiences of migrants and children of migrants from Louisiana in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • If you volunteer for this research study, you will be asked to participate in an audio-recorded life history interview that will last about two hours; in some cases additional sessions may be needed to complete the life history. During the interview, you will be asked about your background, your migration experiences or those of your parents, and your experiences in the Bay Area. The interview will be conducted at a time and location convenient for you.
  • Participation is entirely voluntary and confidential. You may stop your participation at any time without penalty.
  • If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact:Faustina DuCros, Ph.D.
    San José State University
    One Washington Square
  • San José, CA 95125Louisiana-Migrants@sjsu.edu

    408-924-5325

JOB: Department of Art, Art History, and Design Chairperson @ Michigan State University

The Department of Art, Art History, and Design (AAHD) presents an exciting opportunity for a dynamic leader to reimagine and advance art and design research and education at Michigan State University. The new Chair will be forward-looking, catalyzing creativity and innovation within the department, and across the college, university, and wider community, to raise the profile of AAHD. The ideal candidate will demonstrate evidence of collaborative engagement and a commitment to excellence in disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies, along with the management, interpersonal, and communication skills required to administer the department’s diverse programs and to advocate effectively for its students, faculty, and staff across all fields. The new Chair will be committed to shared governance, will foster an environment that promotes diversity, inclusivity, collegiality, and transparency, and will have a record of success with strategic planning, budget management, recruitment, and guiding faculty through tenure and promotion processes.

 Department of Art, Art History, and Design

AAHD (http://art.msu.edu) is home to more than fifty faculty and staff members, including thirty tenure-system faculty. Many faculty participate in interdisciplinary initiatives in and beyond the College of Arts and Letters, such as the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities, Experience Architecture, Digital Humanities, Arts and Cultural Management, Museum Studies, Film Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, American Indian and Indigenous Studies, as well as Asian, African, African and African American, and Global Studies. Additional opportunities for programming and partnerships include the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, the MSU Museum, MATRIX, the Abrams Planetarium, the MSU Main Library, the MSU Archives, and several departments and colleges across this extensive Research 1 university.

Serving over 500 majors, AAHD offers a wide range of degree programs: BA and BFA in Studio Art (ceramics, electronic arts and intermedia, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture); BFA in Graphic Design; BA and BFA in Apparel and Textile Design; BA in History of Art and Visual Culture; BFA in Art Education; and MFA in Studio Art (ceramics, electronic arts and intermedia, graphic design, painting, printmaking, and sculpture). An active visiting artist and scholar lecture series brings a group of internationally renowned artists, designers, critics, and scholars to campus each year, accompanied by the Bridge program (http://bridge.art.msu.edu) and the new Critical Race Studies Artist in Residence.

MSU leads the nation in study abroad and study away participation among public universities and AAHD faculty lead programs in Austria, China, France, Greece, Italy, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, as well as in New York and Chicago. 

Michigan State University

The nation’s pioneer land-grant university, and a member of the Association of American Universities, MSU is a research-intensive institution with seventeen degree granting colleges. Hosting a student population of more than 50,000, including nearly 11,300 graduate and professional students from all 50 states and from more than 130 countries, the MSU community is multicultural and multinational. The campus is located in East Lansing, a cosmopolitan university town adjacent to Lansing (the state capital), and is 80 miles from Detroit and 210 miles from Chicago. 

Appointment & Qualifications

This is a 12-month position with an initial 5-year appointment commencing August 1, 2018. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Candidates must be external to MSU and have credentials appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of full professor. Candidates must also have a terminal degree in an appropriate field of art, art history, or design, and significant administrative experience — preferably, as Chairperson, Director, Associate Dean, Dean, or equivalent. 

Application Procedures

Review of applications will begin January 29, 2018 and continue until the position fills. All applications for this position must be submitted electronically at the Michigan State University Human Resources website: http://careers.msu.edu (posting #483112). Qualified applicants should submit:

  1. A letter expressing interest in the position and describing qualifications and experience;
  2. A current curriculum vitae;
  3. Evidence of creative and/or scholarly work;
  4. A document summarizing experience with diversity in the classroom and/or past research and administrative endeavors, any experience mentoring diverse students or community outreach initiatives, and an explanation of how you will advance our goals of inclusive excellence (http://inclusion.msu.edu);
  5. Email addresses of 4 potential referees.

For more information, contact the Chair of the Search Committee, Dr. Candace M. Keller, at kellercm@msu.edu.

Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.

MSU is an affirmative action, equal-opportunity employer. MSU is committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential. The University actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

The College of Arts & Letters at MSU recognizes that only an academic and organizational culture that actively seeks out and strengthens diverse voices and perspectives among its members results in true excellence. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer The College of Arts & Letters is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that intellectual leadership is achieved through open access and pro-active inclusion.

Art Historian Helen M. Shannon’s Passing

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Helen M. Shannon, Ph.D., flanked by Dr. David Milburn and Cecile Keith Brown, date unknown. Source: Dr. David Milburn Legacy Award webpage. Photographer’s name not known.

 

It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of Helen M. Shannon, Ph.D. The photo was likely taken when Helen worked in the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Education Department, 1976-87, according to her LinkedIn page.

We have suffered a profound loss in our field and it will be felt among those with whom she worked. A few years back, a former student wrote that Helen Shannon had been an important mentor, calling her “one of the most inspirational career driven women I have ever met. I have never had a professor who has pushed me so hard to succeed, and I will be forever grateful to the role she has played in the development of my career as I pursue my Master’s Degree.” Helen inspired many of us, and she will not be forgotten.

Mark Campbell of the University of Arts, where Helen was Associate Professor and Director of the M.A. Program in Museum Studies, has written this account of his colleague:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of
Associate Professor Helen Shannon. Helen has been a well-respected
member of the UArts faculty since joining the University in 2006,
directing the Museum Education program within Museum Studies, and
since fall 2013 serving as coordinator of Graduate Studies. An
accomplished educator and museum professional, Helen has had a deep
and lasting effect on the scholarship and professional training in her
field.

Helen received a BA from Stanford University, an MA from the
University of Chicago, and a PhD from Columbia University – all in Art
History. Her dissertation was titled “Race and cultural nationalism in
the American modernist reception of African art.”  Notable
professional appointments include executive director of the New Jersey
State Museum and educator in charge, Office of Public Programs, at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art. Freelance curatorial work includes “In the
Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” a
Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition, and “Biennial 2000: At
the Crossroads,” for the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

In 2015 Helen published, “Norman Lewis: Presence and Absence” as part
of “Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis” (University of California
Press – Ruth Fine Editor). She was in the process of completing an
important book in the field of Museum Education, “History and
Understanding of Museum Learning.”  Active in the museum world through
lectures and symposia, Helen has served on many boards including
current appointments with the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums and
the African American Museum.  She was also an ongoing member of the
African American Collection Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of
Art.

Within the UArts community and beyond, Helen was a respected scholar,
known for her integrity, grace and solid professionalism. She
instilled in her many students a tenacious work ethic, deep respect
for knowledge, and an awareness of the central role that museums play
in the enrichment of our lives.

An event celebrating the life of Helen Shannon will be announced to
the community in the coming weeks.”

 

– –Mark Campbell, Dean

College of Art, Media & Design

The University of the Arts

320 Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA 19102

215.717.6120

uarts.edu

 

 

IMAGE BELOW: From the award-winning exhibition catalogue, Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis (2015). Source: GoogleBooks.

 

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Appel Curatorial Fellowship–Delaware Art Museum (apply by Mar. 1, 2018)

ALFRED APPEL, JR.  CURATORIAL FELLOWSHIP


The Delaware Art Museum is pleased to offer an annual Curatorial Fellowship. This two-month Fellowship is intended for graduate students working towards a Museum career. This Fellowship honors Alfred Appel, Jr., a leading scholar of American Studies and a collector of modern prints and photographs.

The focus of the Fellowship changes each year based on institutional need. The Fellowship requires two months of full-time work, or the equivalent in part-time hours. The timing of the Fellowship is flexible and can be carried out full-time or part-time, based on applicant and institutional commitments, and must be served between April and September 2018.

The 2018 Appel Curatorial Fellow will research the work of Edward Loper, Sr. and Edward Loper, Jr. and write a scholarly essay for inclusion in the artists’ 2019 exhibition catalogue. The show, on view March–August 2019, will survey the artistic development of these two artists—father and son—and the establishment of the Loper tradition in the greater Wilmington area. Loper, Sr. is one of Delaware’s most celebrated artists, having lived his entire life in the state and taught generations of local artists. His son, Loper, Jr., was equally prolific and participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the region. Their styles, though different, are distinct for their approach to form and color and show the acknowledgment of modernist traditions from the turn of the 20th century. The exhibition will be assembled from the collections of the Delaware Art Museum, other public institutions, local corporations, and private individuals.

The Appel Curatorial Fellow will work closely with Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art.

Receiving the fellowship
A stipend of $3,500 is available for the Fellowship. The Fellowship is intended for those who are currently enrolled in an art history graduate program and are planning a museum career. While the project may require off-site research, the fellow is expected to work on site regularly during the period of the Fellowship.

 

Important Dates

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2018. Notification of the successful applicant will be announced by April 1, 2018. The chosen candidate will then be asked to provide a date for assuming the Fellowship by May 1, 2018. The Fellowship must be carried out between May 1, 2018 and September 30, 2018.

 

TO APPLY

Applications for the 2018 Appel Fellowship, including a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation as an MS Word or PDF attachment may be emailed to Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art, mwinslow@delart.org.

We are committed to inclusivity and encourage qualified candidates from all cultures and communities to apply. Delaware Art Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

 

A.I.-Generated Images and the Play to Diversity

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From the NYTimes online site, accessed Jan. 3, 2018

 

The headline in the online version of a Jan. 2 NY Times story is an interesting twist from the way the same article is presented in the today’s print issue: the latter, which cites the byline of Cady Metz, “She Could Be a Star, if She Existed.” (The online version’s header is “How and A.I. ‘Cat-and-Mouse Game’ Generates Believable Fake Photos.”)

There’s certainly a lot going on here: for visual studies scholars and art historians, A.I. research that converts “images of horses into zebras and Monets into Van Goghs” is another visual turn, one that exceeds the predictions of Benjamin and Malraux. Then, there’s the interest in “truth” versus “falsity” as scientists develop generative adversarial networks that can “generate faux images and doctor the real thing” by putting words in the mouths of videoed speakers.

One scientist’s assessment of current research made me think about the ways in which bodily statements, representations, and recognitions are patterning strategies that animals rely on; we humans read race and other differentiating traits based on groupings to construct homogeneity and heterogeneity. Durk Kingma, whose work is funded by Tesla’s Elon Musk, is excited about the Finnish commuter chip maker Nvidia’s breakthrough technology. Kingma’s published remark: “We now have a model that can generate faces that are most diverse and in some ways more realistic than what we can program by hand.” Nvidia’s maximizing and extending diversity beyond what is experienced in everyday life is a viewed as a public good.

The marketing of diversity is not only significant because it demonstrates that paragon appearance–at least right now–is kinda Jennifer Aniston-y, kinda Selena Gomez-y.  It’s also that “diversity” can be produced on the surface. These efforts are designed to desegregate representational fields and to integrate different bodies into them. What is produced is the look of diversity, fairness, equity, and justness. As Machiavelli wrote, appearance is more important than reality.

Discussions of visuality are more necessary than ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CFP Craft Studies Symposium–abstracts due Mar. 1, 2018

Call for Papers

Shared Ground: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Craft Studies

Presented by the Center for Craft, Bard Graduate Center, and the Museum of Arts and Design

September 20-22, 2018

New York, New York

Deadline: March 1, 2018

Click here to apply

Bard Graduate Center, the Center for Craft, and the Museum of Arts and Design are pleased to issue a call for papers for the forthcoming Shared Ground: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Craft Studies symposium to be held in New York City September 20-22, 2018.

The “material-turn” in the humanities has brought increased attention to the study of craft in art and design history, decorative arts and material culture studies, as well as other disciplines, such as anthropology and science and technology studies. Institutions are combining academic traditions of the humanities and social sciences with “learning by doing” pedagogy and the influence of global studies has led scholars to research, understand, and contextualize craft outside of the studio craft or the arts and craft movements. Beyond the humanities and social sciences, fields ranging from architecture and urban planning to engineering and computer science have begun to explore the craft-like nature and implications of their research and professional practice.

Craft studies is at a critical moment as more disciplines turn their research towards craft and more scholars expand the geographic and temporal boundaries of the field. The 2018 Shared Ground symposium will explore cross-disciplinary approaches to craft studies, with an eye towards intersecting and divergent theories, methodologies, and approaches in this emerging area of study.

DETAILS

Abstracts (up to 250 words) for 20 min papers and a brief curriculum vitae must be submitted here on or before March 1, 2018 at 11:59pm EST. We are looking for interdisciplinary knowledge and welcome papers from all disciplines. Alternative presentation formats are welcome, and graduate students are encouraged to apply. Abstracts will be subject to peer review.

For additional information, please visit www.cccdnow.org/sharedground or contact Marilyn Zapf, Assistant Director and Curator, the Center for Craft at mzapf@craftcreativitydesign.org