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Art and Art History

Art stands at the intersection of culture, politics, religion and philosophy, making it an ideal place from which to understand the liberal arts and the world at large.

At Dickinson, the Department of Art & Art History offers students two tracks for study: studio art and art history. Both concentrations foster rigorous, critical investigation through active processes of learning in which students connect historical discourse with an engagement of art from multiple contemporary perspectives.

The senior year capstone experience allows studio and art history majors to pursue intensive, original research in their respective concentrations. Senior studio majors, benefiting from individual studio spaces, each create a body of work for an exhibition in The Trout Gallery accompanied by a museum catalog they create.

Senior art history majors undertake advanced scholarly research in co-curating and producing a published museum catalog for an exhibition in the Trout Gallery drawn from works in the college's permanent collection or from work lent by established galleries and museums.

Contact Info

Chair

Elizabeth LeeAssociate Professor of Art History

Department Coordinator

Michele Karper

Phone

717-254-8705

Fax

717-245-1937

Social Media

Location

Rm. 226 , Weiss Center for the Arts Mailing Address

Department Gallery



Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs

  • One River School of Art + Design  
  • American Folk Art Museum 
  • New York Public Library 
  • Children’s Museum of New York 
  • The Pennsylvania State University 
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art 
  • National Gallery of Art  
  • National Museum of American History 
  • Michener Museum of Art 
  • Barnes Foundation 
  • Museum of Modern Art 
  • Sotheby's  

Graduate Schools

  • Columbia University 
  • SUNY Purchase 
  • Lewis & Clark  
  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 
  • Cranbrook, Academy of Art 
  • SAIC (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) 
  • University College of London, Slade School of Fine Art 
  • Virginia Commonwealth University 
  • New York University, School of Law 
  • McGill University 
  • University of Toronto 
  • Yale University 
  • Harvard University 
  • Rhode Island School of Design 
  • Boston University 
  • MICA (Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art) 
  • PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) 
  • University of Delaware 
  • UPenn 
  • Temple University 
  • The Courtauld 
  • University of Maryland, College Park
  • Cardiff University
Where Our Students Have Interned
  • Atlantic Records 
  • The Biscuit Factory 
  • New York Arts Practicum 
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art 
  • Whitney Museum of Art 
  • Philadelphia Fabric Workshop and Museum  
  • Princeton University Art Museum 
  • Wadsworth Athenaeum 
  • Philadelphia Mural Arts 
  • State Museum of Harrisburg  
  • Brandywine River Museum of Art 
  • Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Inc. 
  • Christie’s  

Department Features



Will_Preman_Poster_JPEG_1.jpg
Artist in Residence

This exhibition features work by Will Preman, the 2019 studio-art artist-in-residence. A multidisciplinary artist currently working in Philadelphia. Preman earned a BFA in ceramics and art history from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2012 and an MFA at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

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Student Perspective

"Art history is the ultimate liberal art. Through studying art, we are able to learn about history, politics, economics and trade, religion, culture, philosophy, languages, architecture, environmental studies, music and more! All of the art-history faculty have different concentrations, and the variety of courses in the major gives students exposure to diverse art forms spanning numerous continents and millennia. The faculty also have high expectations and push students to produce their best work."

—Xenia Makosky ’24


Art & Art History News

Boundaries Imagined: Decoding the Legacy of Louisa Chase

Boundaries Imagined: Decoding the Legacy of Louisa Chase

Seven years after the artist's passing, student curators present works showcasing Louisa Chase's convention-defying career. Expert guidance from an art department alumnus helped light the way.

A Spring Awakening: College Announces New Public Arts Events

A Spring Awakening: College Announces New Public Arts Events

Awaken your senses this spring with invigorating performances, exhibits, readings and residencies.

Reimagining the Arts With Veronika Yadukha

Reimagining the Arts With Veronika Yadukha

Who gets to access the arts? Can you translate one art form into another? Students investigate these questions and more alongside Veronika Yadukha, our first Beyond the New Normal artistic resident.

The Art of Community

The Art of Community

"I'm so excited for everyone to see it." Nine studio art majors are ready to share works in progress with the greater campus community. Here's a preview.

Creating a Way Forward: Warith Taha’s Advice to Young Artists

Creating a Way Forward: Warith Taha’s Advice to Young Artists

Drawing from a social-science background and personal experience, Warith Taha explores race, gender, sexuality and class in his art. He shared his journey—and his career advice—with students.

High-Impact Residency Amplifies Underheard Voices

High-Impact Residency Amplifies Underheard Voices

The works of underrepresented artists and composers command center stage this fall through a high-impact residency with Imani Winds.