Congratulations to Professor Kathryn A. Smith!

 

Please join us in congratulating Kathryn A. Smith, who was just promoted to the rank of Professor, effective September 2014.

Professor Smith is the author of Art, Identity and Devotion in Fourteenth-Century England (2003) and The Taymouth Hours: Stories and the Construction of the Self in Late Medieval England (2012), both published by The British Library (London) and the University of Toronto Press (Toronto), as well as numerous articles, essays, and reviews on medieval art, especially illuminated manuscripts. She co-edited Tributes to Lucy Freeman Sandler: Studies in Illuminated Manuscripts (Harvey Miller, 2007) and The Social Life of Illumination: Manuscripts, Images, and Communities in the Late Middle Ages (Brepols, 2013) and is Series Editor of Studies in the Visual Cultures of the Middle Ages (Brepols). Professor Smith’s current projects include studies of late medieval English alabaster sculpture, the early fourteenth-century English Queen Mary Psalter, and the illustrations in an early fourteenth-century manuscript of the Anglo-Norman Life of St. Edmund.

Before coming to NYU as Assistant Professor in fall 1998, Professor Smith was Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History at Temple University (1995-98). She earned tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2005. She served as Director of Undergraduate Studies from 2002-5 and Department Chair from 2010-13. Professor Smith looks forward to continuing to teach medieval art to NYU students when she returns from leave in fall 2014.

 

Professor Kathryn A. Smith and DAH Professor emerita Lucy Freeman Sandler examining an illuminated manuscript in London, May 2014

URDS senior, Veronica Watson, wins Phi Beta Kappa/Albert S. Borgman Memorial Prize!

 

 

We are thrilled to announce that  Veronica Watson, Urban Design & Architecture Studies Program, was awarded the Albert S. Borgman prize for  Best Honors Thesis in Humanities.  The abstract of  Watson’s thesis, The Resor House: Perspective Representation and Mies van der Rohe’s “Inner Structure”, can be read and images viewed at the end of this post but, first, a bit about our awardee:

Veronica majored in Urban Design and Architecture Studies and minored in Studio Art as well as Web Programming and Applications. Within the major, Veronica focused in the study of architectural history, and was particularly interested in modern architecture. At a MoMA exhibit, Cut ‘n’ Paste: From Architectural Assemblage to Collage City, she came across Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Resor House collages. Captivated by the collages, she decided they would make an excellent subject for her senior thesis. Under the guidance of Professor Jon Ritter, she turned a study of the collages toward a broader investigation of perspective and architectural representation. Now that she has graduated, Veronica plans to work and pursue a graduate degree in architecture.

Mies van der Rohe, “Resor House Project, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Perspective and view of the site from interior,” 1937-1938, Museum of Modern Art

 

 

Mies van der Rohe, “Resor House Project, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Interior perspective of living room (view through north glass wall),” 1937-41, Museum of Modern Art

 

 

Mies van der Rohe, “Resor House Project, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Interior perspective of living room and south glass wall,” 1939, Museum of Modern Art

 

Abstract

Architectural representation is the conceptualization and translation of designed space onto a two-dimensional picture plane. Linear perspective, invented in the early Renaissance by Fillipo Brunelleschi and described by Leon Batista Alberti in his book, On Painting, as a tool for painters, has become an integral method for architectural representation. These representations deserve deeper consideration as direct artifacts of the architect’s design conceptualization, freed from physical construction and its practical constraints. Furthermore, it is important to consider the way in which the two-dimensional perspective form may be reflected in the built three-dimensional space it represents.

These concerns will be turned toward a close examination of German modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, specifically by considering a number of sketches and, more particularly, three perspective collages he produced for his first American commission, the Resor House, in 1937. The collages combine photographic images of the landscape with drawn perspectives of the living space looking out into it. Using the ideas of art historian Erwin Panofsky in Perspective as Symbolic Form as a basis, I will argue that Mies employs the perspective form to a manipulative stylistic effect. While much has been written about Mies’s architecture, especially in regards to his interest in the structure of buildings, I will make a new argument. My research suggests that we may interpret the “inner structure”, that Mies proclaims to expose in his buildings as more than a skeletal structure highlighting what holds the building up. Instead we might perceive an underlying visual structure that reflects the form of the two-dimensional perspective in which it was conceived.

 

School’s Out for Summer!

Costume Institute Event at the Met on May 22

The College Group at the Met invites you to an evening celebrating the opening of 
The Costume Institute exhibition Charles James: Beyond Fashion and the new 
Anna Wintour Costume Center. 

8:00–10:00 p.m.
Viewing, reception and workshop with P.S. – I made this…

Submissions by the finalists of our fashion design contest will be on display. The contest winner and a fan favorite will be announced during the event.

Event is free with a valid student ID; however, space is limited. Event is first come, first served. RSVP.

Guests are encouraged to dress to impress. For inspiration, visit the exhibition page.

If you happen to be in Madrid…

In Spain, artists’ work, museum displays, and the interpretation of historical sites shed light on debates about memory and history. In some cases, museums and historical sites serve as flash points for those competing to define the history of the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship (1939-1975). In others they are designed as spaces to recover repressed histories and testimonies. Some contemporary artists move between museum and historical site, archival and activist work, collaborating with groups striving to shed light on what they view as the injustice of the impunity granted to the regime.

Ayanna Wilson and Thomai Serdari!

 

 

 

As previously reported, our excellent Ayanna Wilson was given an Arts and Science Excellence Award. The award was presented to her by Associate Dean of Administration, Lauren Holmes, at a festive ceremony in Hemmerdinger Hall on Thursday, May 8.

Thomai Serdari, Manager of Research Collections DAH, received a long-term service award (15 years!) at the same ceremony.

 

 

Majors News

Congratulations to all of our Art History and Urban Design and Architecture Studies majors on their hard work and many achievements this academic year.  Best wishes for a productive and restorative summer and beyond!  To supplement or correct the information in this post, please contact Professor Kathryn Smith (Kathryn.smith@nyu.edu) with a copy to Peggy Coon (peggy@nyu.edu).

Erik Battista (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’15) received the Evelyn Jablow Lilienthal Scholarship, presented each year to an accomplished junior in the Urban Design and Architecture Studies Program.

Alessandro Bello (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’14) has been admitted to NYU’s London-based M.A. program in Historical and Sustainable Architecture.

Madeleine Black (Urban Design and Architecture Studies; Metropolitan Studies minor ’14) will begin her studies this fall at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) where she will pursue a Masters of Architecture.

Zara Chaudhury (Urban Design and Architecture Studies/Politics ’14) was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Evelyn Cheng (Urban Design and Architecture Studies/Journalism ‘14) presented a paper on “Back to the Future: The History and Outlook of East Midtown Development” at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference.

Meryn Chimes (Art History ‘14) has been an intern at Christie’s this semester.

Salem Chism (Art History ‘16) writes that she has gotten avery interesting internship at Bottega Veneta.  “This semester I am working with the visual merchandising team, and I’ve had a chance to develop my passion for and hone my skills in art history to assist with and execute window displays, in-store designs, and overall concept proposals,” reports Salem.

Natalie Covill (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’16) received a FAST (Freshman and Sophomore Training) grant from the CAS Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund to learn ArcGIS (Geographic Info System) mapping software, which she hopes will help with her future work in urban design. Natalie thanks Professor Jon Ritter for his support and help in applying for the grant.

Matthew Dowsett (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’14) was accepted to Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for Interior Architecture and Design; he has decided to attend Pratt Institute’s three-year Masters program. Matt is the recipient of a Dean’s Commencement Award, and he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year. He is extremely grateful to Professors Mosette Broderick and Jon Ritter for all their help and support over the last three years.

Claire Duleba (Art History ’14) presented a paper on “Purifying the Pharaoh: The Case for Pharonic Legitimation through Religious Art, and the Evolution of a Centralized Formal Egyptian Style” at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference. This research originated in an honors thesis that Claire wrote under the supervision of Professor Ann Macy Roth. Claire is the recipient of a Faculty Choice award from the Department of Art History.

Laura Edelman (Art History ’15) will be working as the curatorial intern in the Photography Department at the Museum of Modern Art this summer. She is a co-recipient of the H. W. Janson Scholarship, presented for excellence in the study of the history of art.

Ashley Frenkel (Art History ’15) reports, “For this summer I received a position at the American Museum of Natural History in their  Education Department’s Museum Education and Employment Program.  Ashley also was one of the three selected submissions to the Art History Writing Competition, co-sponsored by the Department of Art History and the Grey Art Gallery.

Paul Funkhauser (Art History ’14) is the recipient of a Faculty Choice Award from the Department of Art History.

Nora Gorman (Art History ’15) will be a Photoarchive intern at the Frick Art Reference Library this summer, and in August she will deliver an original Family Programs talk at The Cloisters. As of Spring 2014, she is an intern in the Collections Department of the New York City Fire Museum and an executive board member of the Fine Arts Society; she will serve as a co-president of the Society for the 2014-15 academic year. In Fall 2014, Nora will be researching the patronage and collection of Jean, Duke of Berry under the supervision of Professor Carol Krinsky. Nora was recently accepted into NYU’s Accelerated B.A./M.A. program in Public History.

Bryn Herdrich (Urban Design and Architecture Studies/Tisch Drama ’14) received a DURF Grant to research her honors thesis on “A Critical Examination of the Restoration and Future Use of Castle Clinton.” She presented this research at the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference and won a panel award for her presentationDevon Hersch (Art History ’14) was an intern at the Grey Art Gallery this summer and a co-editor of Ink & Image this year. He presented a paper on “The Final Other: Dark Souls (2011) Recoding Gaming History from 1980-2” at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference. He is completing an honors thesis on this topic under the supervision of Professor Pepe Karmel. Devon is the recipient of the Douglas F. Maxwell Award in Art History, presented annually to a graduating senior for excellence in the study of art history. The award is for travel outside of the U.S.A. to see and study original works of art. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Shivam Jumani (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’17) has been interning at the office of Council Member Jumaane D. Williams this spring. As Shivam reports, this opportunity “has given me an insight into how public policy is made and how the NYC Council functions. I have attended many public hearings in City Hall that shed light on how the departments in this city (Zoning, Education, Health, Land Use, Landmarks, etc.) function. One of my most recent projects was a press release regarding a proposal to designate Jackie Robinson’s house in Brooklyn as a Historic Landmark.”

Aliza Katz (Art History ’14) was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Andie Levinson (Art History ’14), an honors scholar, received a DURF grant to support the research for her senior honors thesis, “A Taxonomic Approach to Louise Bourgeois’ Early Paintings: 1937-49,” which she wrote under the supervision of Professor Kenneth Silver. She presented a paper with this title at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference. She is the recipient of the Department of Art History’s Eileen Guggenheim Award, presented each year to a senior major for scholarly accomplishments in the fine arts, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year. Andie will start a job in Sotheby’s New York’s Floater Program in August.

Elizabeth Lorenz (Art History ‘15) is the co-recipient of the H. W. Janson Scholarship, presented for excellence in the study of the history of art.

Emma Manheimer (Art History ’14) was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Meredith Menache (Art History ’15) was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Madeleine Mermall (Art History ‘15) writes, ‘This past semester I have been an editorial intern at Artforum International Magazine. I have been able to work on all the major features for the magazine as well as to contribute to the ‘Previews’ section. This internship has been an incredible experience. I have loved being a part of a cutting-edge magazine and learning all there is about the current art world.”  Madeleine will continue in this position in the coming Fall semester.

Xintong Nancy Nie (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’14) has been admitted to the Parsons School of Design’s M.F.A. program in Lighting Design.

Stella Sigal (Art History ’14) will begin the M.S. program in Library Science (MSLIS) at Pratt this coming Fall. She plans to pursue a degree that allows her to specialize in museum collections.

Robin Smith (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’16) was awarded a Rudin Internship Fellowship.

Robert Wilson Tarbox IV (Art History ’14) presented a paper on “Marta Chilindrón: South American Conversations in Geometry and Participatory Art.” This research developed out of his honors thesis, which he wrote under the supervision of Professor Edward Sullivan. Wilson is the recipient of the Jane Costello Memorial Award, presented to a graduating senior for excellence in the study of the history of art.

Anna Van Niekerk (Art History ’14) is a co-editor of Ink & Image this year. She presented a paper on “Transformative Architecture in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Constitutional Court and the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication” at the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference this year. She wrote an honors thesis on this topic under the supervision of Professor Carol Krinsky. Anna is the recipient of a Faculty Choice Award from the Department of Art History.

Christian Vastola (Urban Design and Architecture Studies ’14) presented a paper on “James Felt, Politician, Planner and Urban Liberal: A Master Builder of Progress” at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference. The research for this paper was funded by a DURF grant. Christian is the recipient of a Faculty Choice Award from the Program for Urban Design and Architecture Studies of the Department of Art History. He also received a Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Stefanie Waldek (Art History ’14) was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year.

Veronica Watson (Urban Design & Architecture Studies ’14) is the Washington Square College Class of ’42 Research Scholar in Humanities. She received the Ada Louise Huxtable Award, presented annually to an outstanding graduating senior with the highest grade point average and most promise for future success in the field of Urban Design and Architecture. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa this year. Veronica presented a paper on “The Resor House: Perspective Representation and Mies van der Rohe’s ‘Inner Structure’” at this year’s Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference. Her research on this topic was supported by a DURF grant.

Sarah Willis (Art History ’14) is the recipient of a Faculty Choice Award from the Department of Art History.

 

Rawson Projects

DAH Lecture Tonight!

Corporate Glory and Heroic Capitalism: The Architecture of Cross & Cross, Peter Pennoyer and Anne Walker

PETER PENNOYER received his Bachelor of Arts and his Master of Architecture from Columbia University and founded his firm, Peter Pennoyer Architects, in 1991. Over the past twenty years, his firm has won numerous awards and has been recognized as one of the most respected in America for projects in prestigious neighborhoods and historic buildings. Pennoyer has devoted himself to championing classical architecture. He is a member of Architectural Digest’s AD 100, is the author of numerous books and articles, lectures widely on architecture, urban design, and architectural history, and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Art History at New York University, where he teaches a seminar on the architectural evolution of New York City. Pennoyer has served on the boards of The Municipal Art Society and the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation, and is currently a trustee at the Morgan Library & Museum, the Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation, and the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, where he is Chairman of the board.

Architectural historian and author ANNE WALKER holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Columbia University and received her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury Colllege. In 2000, she joined the firm of Peter Pennoyer Architects in New York City and has since collaborated with Peter Pennoyer on several books regarding the history of twentieth-century American architecture, including The Architecture of Delano & Aldrich, The Architecture of Grosvenor Atterbury, The Architecture of Warren & Wetmore, and New York Transformed: The Architecture of Cross & Cross. She is the author of Peter Pennoyer Architects: Apartments, Townhouses and Country Houses, and co-author of The Ford Plantation Architectural Pattern Book with Donald M. Rattner, and The Finest Rooms in America with Thomas Jayne. Walker is an adjunct professor at New York University and has appeared as a commentator in National Geographic’s television series “American Mansion.” She lives in New Canaan, Connecticut.