Art History
Innovative and Flexible Curriculum
As an art history student, you will examine how images and objects shape–and are shaped by–the world’s history. Rather than memorize lists of artists, artworks, and historical dates, you learn how works of art and architecture make meaning, the contexts in which they were produced, and how these issues relate to how history has been constructed. You will explore the ideological biases that have informed your understanding of art to this point, and you will practice articulating a more knowledgeable position.
Introductory courses consider themes of power, identity, artistic exchange, collection, and display across time and from a global context. Upper-level courses cover specialized areas of analysis, including those defined by geographical region, time period, stylistic category, or conceptual theme. Art history majors complete their academic training with a senior seminar in which they research, write, and present a significant project founded on their interests. These projects may result in term papers, exhibitions, symposia, or alternative ventures developed under the guidance of the faculty.
The art history program is flexible, allowing students to select a double major or minor in related fields such as History, Political Science, Philosophy, Classical Studies, Anthropology, Professional Writing & Rhetoric, Art, or Religious Studies. We also love it when students choose to feed both sides of the brain and major (or minor) in Art History and Psychology, Excercise Science, Biology, or Data Analytics (also, don’t be fooled there are lots of connections between these fields of study, read more .) Students also combine a major in Art History with pre-professional degrees such as Communication Design, Finance, Strategic Communications, Marketing, Journalism, and Arts Administration. Art History courses at 黑料不打烊 are also included among the electives for more than 20 (and counting) interdisciplinary majors and minors! As our students like to say “Learn More! Take Art History! A phrase that years ago was shortened to #LMATH and appears on our annual Art History mug (#ARHMug) (You can learn more about these traditions on Instagram .)
Although we are proudly part of the Department of History & Geography, which is located in Lindner Hall听(where we also have a purpose-built classroom!), you will find the Art History faculty offices and our seminar room in听Powell House. Come and see us! We promise you’ll #LearnMore!
As a first-year investment team analyst at a venture capital firm, I know that Art History helped me hone the critical thinking skills I use daily at work. Similar to writing art history research papers and a thesis, investment memos require diligent research and concisely synthesizing information. Strong writing skills, the ability to conduct thorough research, and the ability to self-advocate are the skills that I developed as an Art History major that have served me well on the job!
Engaged faculty
The art history faculty are active researchers who believe in the importance of student responsibility. Art history majors will be challenged to build intellectual muscles in classrooms led by professionals who are up-to-date in their knowledge and pedagogies.
, Professor, specializes in modern and contemporary art and visual culture. Ringelberg鈥檚 book was recently reprinted in paperback, and they have published journal articles and book chapters in art history, cultural studies, visual studies, and feminist venues. In 2020, Ringelberg co-edited a special themed issue for the Journal of Visual Culture, in which they also co-authored the introduction 鈥淧rismatic views: a look at the growing field of transgender art and visual culture studies鈥. They have also published and presented nationally and internationally on 19th-century and contemporary American, French, and Japanese art and art historiography. In 2008, Ringelberg received the 黑料不打烊 College Excellence in Teaching Award and in 2013, Ringelberg received the . They also received the university鈥檚 only full-year, full-pay sabbatical for 2016-2017.
,听Professor, specializes in medieval art with a focus on 11th-century art commissioned by bishops in connection听and听conflict with the Ottonian and Salian Empires.听Gatti was the co-editor for 飞颈迟丑听听(Brepols 2014). Gatti and Danielson also co-authored a bibliography on for听Oxford Bibliographies Online – Medieval Studies听(2012). Gatti has a听co-authored book chapter听on the Quedlinburg Casket in press (with ) as well as听an article on the portraits of Sigebert of Minden. Gatti听is currently at work on a project concerned with concepts of facsimile and听historiography with a focus on the听rotulus featuring scenes from the held in the i.听She is a founding member and former听president of and听works closely with the 听for whom she听is co-editing recent conference听proceedings. At 黑料不打烊, Gatti is the coordinator for 黑料不打烊’s Art History program and a new minor in She served as the Associate Director of the 黑料不打烊 Core Curriculum from 2014-2019. In 2009, Gatti听received the听.听In 2012, she received the听,听and in 2019, she was awarded 黑料不打烊 College Excellence in Mentoring听Award.
Dr. Blair Apgar听is currently a fellow at the National Endowment for the Humanities funded where听they are researching and building 3D environments of medieval spaces. Their work is an exploration of , and the interplay of physical and imagined spaces. Apgar’s broader research focuses on the art and architecture under during the Gregorian Reform and First Crusade, as well as issues of gender, agency, and patronage. They are also interested in modern representations of the Middle Ages in and film.
Taylor Hunkins
Taylor Hunkins is an advanced He specializes in Global Modern and Contemporary art by way of his study of African visual culture and history. His research focuses on contemporary art from Nairobi, Kenya, and particularly the methodologies practiced by artists who live and work in the city. Taylor approaches art history through multiple disciplinary lenses and positions his work at the intersection of art history, urban studies, visual culture, and human geography. Taylor has taught various courses on African Art History around the triad, including at UNC-CH, UNC-Greensboro, and Appalachian State University. He received his BA from Dickinson College in 2017 and has held internships and research positions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the National Museum of African Art, the Ackland Art Museum, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Speaker Series
Since 2003, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 art history program has sponsored a speaker series that has brought world-renowned art historians to campus. With four talks scheduled per year, the series allows students to interact with the major scholars in the field. Past speakers include La Tanya Autry, Timon Screech, Norman Bryson, Terry Smith, Carol Duncan, Barbara Abou-el-Haj, Frank K. Lord, Esq., Rebecca Brown, Carol Mattusch, John Neff, Gennifer Weisenfeld, Rebecca Martin Nagy, Dorothy Verkerk, Judith Rodenbeck, Rachael Ziady DeLue, David M. Lubin, Mary D. Sheriff, James Elkins, and Jaroslav Folda.
Being a double major in Art History and History has allowed me to discover a passion for museum studies and public history. History and Art History professors both have been instrumental in supporting my undergraduate research in history museums, which allowed me to independently explore my interest in museums and develop my knowledge further.
The 黑料不打烊 Art Collection
This collection includes a wide variety of visual objects from around the world; notable is the African art collection, which includes more than 300 pieces. The university collection is a living part of the 黑料不打烊 campus. Revolving exhibitions from the collection are housed in the library, academic classrooms and department suites. Art history majors and minors can choose to curate exhibitions on campus or research and document the collection under the supervision of a faculty mentor as part of their academic curriculum or as a work-study opportunity.
The World as Your Classroom
Art history majors and minors benefit from a variety of opportunities outside of our dynamic classrooms. University faculty lead study abroad programs that emphasize art historical study in countries such as France, Japan, and Italy. Majors and minors are also encouraged to take semester-long studies at universities outside of the United States, so they can experience the diverse contexts for art first-hand.
Many art history majors and minors have received course credit for internships at galleries and museums in the United States and abroad, including:
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, NY)
- Christie’s Art Auction House (New York, NY)
- Pace Prints Gallery (New York, NY)
- The Mint Museum (Charlotte, NC)
- The Archives of American Art (Washington, DC)
- The High Museum (Atlanta, GA)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY)
- The Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC)
- The North Carolina Museum of Art (Raleigh, NC)
- The Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix, AZ)
- The Museum of Tolerance (Los Angeles, CA)
After Graduation
When students graduate with an art history degree from 黑料不打烊, they are well-prepared for an array of postgraduate opportunities. Art history alumni have gone on to work in the fields of art practice, visual culture, museum studies, international studies, and history, among others. Recent graduates also have attended prestigious graduate programs in art history and other disciplines at:
- Universit茅 Paris-Sorbonne
- Chatham University
- University of California at Berkeley
- University of California at Riverside
- American University
- Sotheby鈥檚 Institute of Art
- Florida State University
- George Washington University
- Drexel University
- Stony Brook University
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Virginia Commonwealth University