Events
Join us for gallery talks, hands-on workshops and other special programs that draw from and enrich our exhibitions, collections and histories.
Upcoming Events
Reigniting the Spark: Conservation of Wen-Ying Tsai-bernetics
Wednesday, April 24, 12-4pm
UAG Study Room
Turning Points 8: Aging Futures: Conserving Time-Based Media Art
Thursday, April 25
4:00-5:15pm
Tina Rivers Ryan, Editor-in-Chief of Artforum, and Deena Engel, Clinical Professor Emerita of the Department of Computer Science at the Courant Institute Mathematical Sciences at New York University, will draw from their professional experiences to address the special questions surrounding the conservation of time-based media art.
Register here
Saturday Open House
Saturday, April 27
12PM
Drop in to see the current exhibition, Changes with Exposure: Studio Arts Senior Exhibition
Past Events
Studio Art Student Talks
Tuesday, April 16
12PM
Graduating seniors in Studio Arts will guide us through Changes with Exposure. Studio Arts graduating artists Sydney Cristofori, Lucy Eickelberg, Shyann Maragh, W.E.N., and Lucy Zhang will discuss their work, creative influences, and artistic process.
Studio Art Student Talks
Thursday, April 11
12PM
Graduating seniors in Studio Arts will guide us through Changes with Exposure. Studio Arts graduating artists Megan Ackley, Ren Aimua, Cocoro Kambayashi, Tamsin Longenberger, and James Richardson will discuss their work, creative influences, and artistic process
Comfort With Rage: A Conversation
Wednesday, April 10
5:30pm
Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Please join us for a special conversation with writer, Angie Cruz, visual artist, Laylah Ali and poet, Diana Khoi Nguyen. Cruz, Ali and Nguyen will discuss the nature of collaboration in their work and their artistic process.
This event celebrates the launch of Aster(ix) Journal’s Spring 2024 issue featuring a series of prose pieces written in reaction to and in conversation with drawings by Laylah Ali’s Studies series. Contributors include Victoria Chang, Caro De Robertis, Jacquira Diaz, Patricia Engel, Chinelo Okperanka, and Alejandro Varela.
This event is made possible with the support of Dr. R.A Judy, the University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of the Arts & Sciences, CAAPP: Center for African American Poetry & Poetics, Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series, Department of Studio Arts and Pitt’s University Art Gallery (UAG).
Light food and refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP here
Changes with Exposure: Opening Celebration
Thursday, April 4
4-6PM
Let’s celebrate the achievements of Studio Arts 2024 graduating seniors!
Light food and refreshments will be served.
Saturday Open House
Saturday, March 23
12-4PM
Drop in to see the current exhibitions. Join a guided tour in Spanish, make a button, and learn more about upcoming programs in the UAG! This open house coincides with the Latinx Connect Conference.
Spanish Language Tours
Jueves 22 de febrero
Jueves 29 de febrero
5:00-6:00pm
La UAG está ofreciendo visitas guiadas en español de todas las exposiciones.
Registra aquí
Guided Tour: Kingdom of This World Reimagined
Friday, February 16
Friday, February 23
3:00-4:00pm
UAG Front Gallery
In celebration of Black History Month, the UAG is offering tours of The Kingdom of this World, Reimagined. This exhibition presents contemporary work inspired by Alejo Carpentier’s historical novel which recounts the Haitian Revolution.
Space is limited. Please RSVP here.
Object Lesson: Aaron Bohrod’s Dumping Slag (1947)
Tuesday, February 20
12:15-1:00
UAG Study Room
Members of the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory (PWC) and Rivers of Steel will lead a discussion about Bohrod’s 1947 painting with an eye to the long-term impacts of industrial production on the local environment.
Space is limited. Please RSVP here
Agua Firme: A Conversation
Friday, January 26, 2024
5:30-7:30pm
Frick Fine Arts Auditorium & Cloister
Join us for a live installment of our Turning Points series. Artists Scherezade García and iliana emilia García, in conversation with writer Angie Cruz, will discuss the Garcías installation, Agua Firme, in the University Art Gallery, artmaking and Dominican history and identity.
A reception in the Cloister will follow the conversation. The University Art Gallery will remain open until 8pm. Guests are invited to visit the three exhibitions currently on view: Current Exhibitions.
Please register for the event here.
Object Lesson: Stele Rubbing: “Panoramic View of Mt. Hua”
Tuesday, January 23
12:15-1:00
UAG Study Room
Join Studio Art Professor Delanie Jenkins for a closer look at a stele rubbing after a 17th century painting. Prof. Jenkins will share how this work inspired her own practice.
Space is limited. Please RSVP here
Kingdom of This World: Gallery Talk and Book Discussion with The World History Center
Thursday, November 30, 2023
2:30 – 4:30pm
Join the University Art Gallery, World History Center, and Center for Latin American Studies to explore the exhibition the Kingdom of this World, Reimagined and to discuss the inspiration for the exhibit, Alejo Carpentier’s mytho-historical book The Kingdom of this World. Participants will then join Crystal Eddins, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, who will lead a discussion about the broad narrative of the Haitian Revolution and how art can reflect the experiences of enslaved people. Using perspectives from art, history, and sociology, this interdisciplinary event will explore the trauma of enslavement and the liberation of revolution as the Haitian people continue their ongoing struggle for self-determination.
Exhibition Tour - Printing Culture: Gráfica Puerto Rico
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
1 – 1:30pm
Join the student curators of Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico, 1958-63 as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Maker Event: Estampaton Screenprinting Workshop
Thursday, November 16, 2023
5-7pm
Join us for our 6th annual Maker Event! In celebration of our exhibition of ICP posters, we team up with the Department of Studio Arts to offer a hands-on screen printing event. This interactive experience uses images created by artist Sean P. Morrisey that were inspired by ICP posters. Each participant will have the opportunity to create their own tote bag! Button-making, hands-on activities, and food will also be available.
Free and open to everyone. No experience necessary. All supplies provided.
Co-sponsored by the UAG and Pitt’s Studio Arts Department.
UAG Book Club: The Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier
Wednesday, November 15
12-1pm
We kick off the UAG Book Club with a reading of The Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier, the book that inspired one of the exhibitions currently on view in the gallery. We will discuss the book and look at works in the exhibition together to explore how the artists interpreted the text.
Exhibition Tour - Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
1 – 1:30pm
Join the student curators of Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico, 1958-63 as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Exhibition Tour - Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico
Thursday, November 9, 2023
1 – 1:30pm
Join the student curators of Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico, 1958-63 as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Exhibition Tour - Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
1 – 1:30pm
Join the student curators of Printing Culture: Gráfica de Puerto Rico, 1958-63 as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Printing Culture with a Printmaker
Tuesday, October 31
1:15-2pm
Sean P. Morrissey, Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Studio Arts, will lead visitors through a tour of the current exhibition from the perspective of a printmaker. They will guide us through the ICP posters and discuss technique, process and some of the unique aspects of these works!
Free and open to the public. No reservation required.
Fall Exhibition Reception
Thursday, October 12, 2023
5-7pm
Join us for this special reception in honor of our Fall exhibitions. Light food and refreshments will be provided.
Free and open to all.
Object Lesson: Ecuadorian Wood Relief
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
12:15-1pm
Presenter: Dr. Sylvia Rhor
Location: Study Room, University Art Gallery
This wood relief by Ecuadorian sculptor Luis Potosí came to the University of Pittsburgh in 1968. It was purchased in commemoration of Pitt’s Proyecto Ecuador, a 1960s exchange program funded by the U.S. government. Join UAG director Sylvia Rhor as she shares her research about the object as well as stories about her parents’ immigration from Ecuador to the United States.
Space is limited, please register here
Latin American and Caribbean Festival
Saturday, September 23, 2023
12pm-6pm
Celebrate Latin American and Caribbean culture at the UAG! The Gallery will be open from 12pm to 6pm as part of Pitt’s Latin American and Caribbean Festival. Stop in to see our exhibitions: Kingdom of this World, Reimagined and Agua Firme by iliana emilia García and Scherezade García. We will also offer short, guided tours in English at 2pm and 4pm, and tours in Spanish 3pm and 5pm. You are also welcome to visit on your own time.
Free and open to the public!
Visit here for information about the Latin American and Caribbean Festival
Object Lesson: Medieval Stained-Glass Roundel
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
12:15-1pm
Presenter(s): Sarah Daiker
Location: Study Room, University Art Gallery
What can a 600-year-old piece of stained glass from the Low Countries [northwestern Europe] tell us about the Steel City? Join graduate student Sarah Daiker for an in-depth exploration of Joseph Being Sold to the Ishmaelites, a stained-glass roundel created in the 15th century in the region of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Sarah will lead a discussion about the production and use of the original object and its relationship to medievalism in Pittsburgh. This object has not been on display since 1995.
Space is limited. Register here.
Turning Points 7: Pay Equity in Museums
Thursday, April 13, 2023
4-5pm
How can we build and encourage pay equity for museum and cultural workers?
In this edition of Turning Points, panelists draw from their professional experiences to address this question. Michelle Millar Fisher, Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, facilitates a conversation with Dr. Nicole Cook, Program Manager for Graduate Academic Partnerships, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Trustee of Philadelphia Museum of Art Union, and founding member of Art + Transparency, and Hettie Judah, writer, campaigner and co-founder of the Art Working Parents Alliance (AWP). The conversation will place special emphasis on unionization in museums and equity for parents and caregivers in the cultural sector.
Register here.
Artist Talk: Student Artists
Thursday, April 13, 2023
12-1pm
Please join the Studio Arts Department and the Senior Exhibition Class with Artist Talks from our 2023 graduating seniors.
Exhibition Opening: Detour
Thursday, March 30, 2023
4-6pm
This annual exhibition presents and celebrates the creative work of graduating majors in the Department of Studio Arts, as well as exceptional works selected by faculty from students in department courses, majors and non-majors alike.
Participating seniors include: Macy Becker, Erin Douglass, Huda Elahi, Emily Graves, Violet Duyen, Hannah Jones, Jane Lee, Kate Litak, Grace Murray, Corey Reever, Sierra Scott, Mia Stanton, and Gwen Valvona.
An exhibition produced by the Department of Studio Arts, presented by the University Art Gallery, and sponsored by the Kenneth P. Deitrich School of Arts and Sciences.
Free event, light refreshments will be served.
Turning Points 6: Artists, Accessibility, and Exhibition Design
Thursday, March 2, 2023
4-5pm
Featuring two artists, Finnegan Shannon and Carmen Papalia, this Turning Points will focus on accessibility in museum exhibition design. Finnegan Shannon is a multidisciplinary artist making work about disability and access. Carmen Papalia is an artist using organizing strategies and improvisation to address access to public space, the art institution, and visual culture. This conversation is moderated by Amanda Cachia, a curator, writer, and art historian working at the intersections of art history, curatorial practice, and critical disability studies. Dr. Cachia teaches at Otis College of Art and Design, California Institute of the Arts, California State University Long Beach, California State University San Marcos, and San Diego State University. She is the editor of Curating Access: Disability Art Activism and Creative Accommodation (Routledge, 2022).
Artists Talk: CREATE Fellows
Thursday, February 23, 2023
12-1pm
Location: Rotunda, University Art Gallery
Object Lesson: Ancient Roman Oil Lamps
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
12-12:45pm
Presenter(s): Maggie Beeler and Tom Morton
Location: Study Room, University Art Gallery
Did you know that the UAG houses a set of ceramic oil lamps that were made and used in Ancient Rome? Prof. Maggie Beeler, Dept. of Classics, and Prof. Thomas J. Morton, History of Art & Architecture, will guide us through a close look at these 2000 year old objects and ponder their use, their production and their journey from Ancient Rome to the UAG. Together, we will imagine how we might use these ancient objects in the future.
Space is limited. Register here.
Q&A: Summer Research Opportunities
Thursday, February 9, 2023
12-1pm
Location: Rotunda, University Art Gallery
Artists Talk: Wyoming Field Study
Thursday, February 2, 2023
12-1pm
Location: Rotunda, University Art Gallery
Object Lesson: Gertrude Quastler’s "The Forest"
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
12:15-1pm
Presenter(s): Diana Flatto
Location: Study Room, University Art Gallery
Join PhD candidate Diana Flatto to take a closer look at Gertrude Quastler’s prints and woodblocks from the UAG collection. Quastler (1909-1963) was an Austrian-American artist best known for her prints, which were last exhibited by the UAG in 2014. Diana will provide insight into Quastler’s process and her life.
Space is limited. Register here.
Exhibition Opening: One Place to Another
Thursday, January 19, 2023
4-6pm
Join us for an opening reception for this special exhibition. Light food and refreshments will be provided.
Free and open to all.
Maker Event
Thursday, December 1, 2022
6-8pm
Join us for the 5th annual University Art Gallery Maker Event presented in conjunction with the Center for Creativity. Inspired by the work of Andrey Avinoff and Greer Lankton, participate in a range of creative activities designed to celebrate queer artists and queer histories. The event will incorporate five maker stations, including doll making, button making, scratch boards, Letters to Greer, and live sketching in the rotunda. There will be raffle prizes, a selfie station, pizza and other refreshments!
Exhibition Tour - Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions
Thursday, November 17, 2022
1-2pm
Join the student curators of Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the recent acquisition of the artist’s papers by the University Library System. This tour will take place at the Hillman Library.
Exhibition Tour - Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
1-2pm
Join the student curators of Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the recent acquisition of the artist’s papers by the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Turning Points 5: Queering the Archive
Thursday, November 10, 2022
4pm
Featuring Harrison Apple, Associate Director, Frank-Ratchye Studio for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University and Co-Director of the Pittsburgh Queer History Project and Delali Ayivor, writer, non-profit administrator, and graduate student in Library and Information Sciences at Pratt Institute, the 5th installment of Turning Points will focus on queer theory and practice in approaches to archival work. This conversation is moderated by S. Brook Corfman, English PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh.
Exhibition Tour - Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
1-2pm
Join the student curators of Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions as they explore aspects of this year’s Museum Studies exhibition, drawn from the recent acquisition of the artist’s papers by the University Library System. This tour will take place at the University Art Gallery.
Object Lesson: Wen-Ying Tsai
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
12:15-1pm
In 1971, the UAG acquired a work by Wen-Ying Tsai, an innovative Chinese-American artist best known for his cybernetic and light sculpture. The work has rarely been exhibited since that time. Join Prof. Alex Taylor and Vuk Vuković, PhD Student, as they take a closer look at Tsai’s work in the UAG collection. They will discuss Tsai’s work and discuss the special challenges of exhibiting and caring for kinetic sculpture.
Space is limited. Register here.
Artist Talk: Kira Tsvetkova
Thursday, October 27, 2022
4pm
Studio art alumna Kira Tsvetkova discusses her commission in the current exhibition, Andrey Avinoff: Fantastic Visions. She will discuss how she moved from archival research to art installation. Kira will also reflect on how the project has helped shape her artistic practice.
This talk is co-sponsored by the University Library System and the UAG.
Free and open to the public.
Exhibition Reception
Thursday, October 20, 2022
5-7pm
Join us for this special reception in honor of our Fall exhibitions. Light food and refreshments will be provided.
Free and open to all.
Curator Tour: Greer Lankton: Science Fictions
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
12-1pm
Join curator Isaiah Bertagnolli for a walk-through of the exhibition and a discussion of Lankton’s art and life.
Free and open to all.
C4C at UAG: Bodies/Magic
Thursday, October 6, 2022
3:30-5pm
Turning Points 4: Carving Space for Indigenous Museum Practice
Thursday, September 22, 2022, 4pm
Online Event
How can museums and cultural institutions move beyond statements that honor indigenous lands and histories to meaningful and restorative action in the present? The fourth installment of our series Turning Points: Museum Practice Now will explore this question. Moderated by Dr. Annika Johnson, Associate Curator of Native American Art, Joslyn Museum of Art.
Object Lesson: Inuit Sculpture
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
12-1
The UAG kicks off a new series with an in-depth look at the Inuit sculptures in our collection. We will learn about the history of these objects and discuss the issues around the ownership and display of the works. To attend, please sign up through Qualtrics.
Artist Talks: XIII
Thursday, April 14, 2022, 12–1pm
Part of XIII
Free and open to the public
Please join the Studio Arts Department and the Senior Exhibition Class in an extension of the Studio Arts What We Do series with Artist Talks from our 2022 graduating seniors. The following students will be giving short talks about their work in the exhibition XIII: Derek Labar, Izumi Miyazaki, Eli Savage, Katya Strong, Kira Tsvetkova, Xiaodan (Clara) Wang, and Callie Wrenn.
Exhibition Opening: XIII (Studio Art Senior Show)
Thursday, March 31, 2022, 4–6pm
Free and open to the public
Please join us for opening of XIII. This exhibition highlights the work of the thirteen graduating seniors in the Studio Arts Department. The artists include Derek Labar, Izumi Miyazaki, Eli Savage, Katya Strong, Kira Tsvetkova, Xiaodan (Clara) Wang, and Callie Wrenn. The exhibition was organized by the students and faculty of the Studio Arts Department.
Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years Closing Event
Saturday, February 19, 2022, 12–4pm
Free and open to the public
Please drop-in for special Saturday hours for the closing weekend of Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years.
Founded in 1981, Women of Visions is believed to be the longest-running collective of Black women artists in the United States. This exhibition highlights the work of both long-standing and newer members. The 50 works in the exhibition span a range of media, from painting and sculpture to quilts and ceramics. Together, they attest to the powerful voices of Black women, and the unique identity of the WOV artists.
Visitors can enter for a chance to win a copy of the Women of Visions anniversary publication.
Student-led tours of the exhibition at 12pm and 2pm.
Book Launch: Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years
Thursday, February 17, 2022, 4–6pm
Free and open to the public
Please join us for the launch of the anniversary publication Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years. This publication is the first comprehensive survey of Pittsburgh collective Women of Visions, featuring the work of over thirty contributors including undergraduate and graduate students, Pitt faculty, alumni and community partners. This publication includes original essays about the group’s artists and a timeline of Women of Visions exhibitions since 1981. The 140-page volume represents a landmark account of the group’s past and present that confirms the bright future of Women of Visons.
All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the publication.
The volume was edited by Dr. Alex Taylor, Assistant Professor, History of Art and Architecture, and Amanda Dibando Awanjo, PhD Candidate, Department of English. Special thanks to Humanities Engage, Year of Engagement, and Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania for their generous support of this publication, and to Point Line Projects for publication management.
Overcharged and Undervalued: How Blackness Colors the Value of a Home
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, 12–1pm
Free hybrid event, registration required
Join us for a cross-disciplinary panel tasked with exploring discriminatory home valuation through the lenses of art, economics, and history.
Join artist Harrison Kinnane Smith, economist Dr. Troup Howard, and historian Dr. Andrew Kahrl for a lunchtime discussion about home valuation disparities in Pittsburgh, PA. Panelists will discuss the barriers to equitable taxation, how we got here, and what we can do to repair the broken systems. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Amanda Boston, Assistant Professor, Department of African Studies, University of Pittsburgh.
Participate in the conversation virtually (via Zoom) or in-person (at the Community Engagement Center in Homewood or the Mattress Factory Museum).
This event is part of a series of virtual programming around Sed Valorem, an installation by Harrison Kinnane Smith currently on display at the Mattress Factory Museum in Pittsburgh, PA as part of the making home here exhibition.
This event was organized by the Mattress Factory Museum in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center in Homewood and the University Art Gallery (UAG).
Maker Event 2021: Making Do with Women of Visions
Thursday, December 9, 2021, 5:30–7:30pm
Part of Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years
Free and open to the public
Join us for our 4th Annual Maker Event! Women of Visions artists lynne b, Christine Bethea, LaVerne Kemp and Mary Martin will lead mini-workshops on felting, needle-punching, collage and metal hammering. Prizes and games throughout the evening!
This program was made possible by generous support from the Marstine Family Foundation.
Artist Talk: In Conversation with Ashley A. Jones
Saturday, December 4, 2021, 1–2pm
Part of Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years
Free and open to the public
Please join us for this special program held in conjunction with the exhibition Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years. Ashley Jones will discuss her work and the special installation of 200+ paper bag portraits currently on view in the UAG’s rotunda. The artist will be in conversation with Amanda Dibando Awanjo, PhD Candidate, Department of English.
This program was made possible with generous support from the Marstine Family Foundation.
Exhibition Opening: Women of Visions: Celebrating 40 Years
Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 5:30–7:30pm
Free and open to the public
Join us for the opening reception of this landmark exhibition! Founded in 1981, Women of Visions is believed to be the longest-running collective of Black women artists in the United States. This exhibition highlights the work of both long-standing and newer members, including Tina Williams Brewer, Charlotte Ka, and LaVerne Kemp. The 50 works in the exhibition span a range of media, from painting and sculpture to quilts and ceramics. Together, they attest to the powerful voices of Black women, and the unique identity of the WOV artists.
The opening reception will include remarks from current WOV president Christine Bethea, and a short performance by Elizabeth Asche Douglas and poetry reading by Altha Pitrell.
Presented by the Department of History of Art and Architecture with generous support from Pitt’s Year of Engagement, Humanities Engage, and the assistance of the Office of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, the Office for Diversity, Engagement and Inclusion, and the Department of Theatre Arts.
Black Lives in Focus: Opening Celebration
Thursday, September 9, 2021, 4–6pm
Free and open to the public
Please join us for music, poetry and food to celebrate the opening of the Black Lives in Focus initiative, including an outdoor exhibition on the lawn of the Cathedral of Learning. The celebration will begin at the Carnegie Museum of Art (Sculpture Garden) and will culminate at the exhibition site.
Black Lives in Focus is organized by Professor Bria Walker (Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences Department of Theatre Arts) and Dr. Sylvia Rhor Samaniego (University Art Gallery), under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr. Clyde Wilson Pickett, and with support from the Center for Creativity, a broad range of University departments, and Pittsburgh community representatives.
Curatorship and the Winds of Change
Thursday, April 15, 2021, 4–5pm
Part of Turning Points: Museum Practice Now
Free virtual event, registration required
Curatorship and the Winds of Change is the final event in the conversation series, Turning Points: Museum Practice Now. Pairing recognized leaders in museum practice, one from outside the Pittsburgh region and one from within, the series aims to catalyze important questions about diversity and equity in museums.
Featuring Ryan N. Dennis, Chief Curator and Artistic Director at the Mississippi Museum of Art’s Center for Art and Public Exchange, in conversation with Kilolo Luckett, Executive Director + Chief Curator of ALMA|LEWIS, this conversation will center on strategies visual arts curators can employ to engage audiences in art exhibitions and permanent collection displays.
Turning Points is made possible by generous support from the Fine Foundation, to mark the launch of the Museum Studies Major at Pitt.
Transforming Collections, Connecting with Communities
Thursday, March 18, 2021, 4–5pm
Part of Turning Points: Museum Practice Now
Free virtual event, registration required
Transforming Collections, Connecting with Communities is the second event in the conversation series, Turning Points: Museum Practice Now. Pairing recognized leaders in museum practice, one from outside the Pittsburgh region and one from within, the series aims to catalyze important questions about diversity and equity in museums.
Featuring Gamynne Guillotte, Chief Education Officer, The Baltimore Museum of Art, and Dana Bishop-Root, Director of Education and Public Programs, Carnegie Museum of Art, this conversation will touch on innovative practices at civic museums to engage local audiences and communities.
Turning Points is made possible by generous support from the Fine Foundation, to mark the launch of the Museum Studies Major at Pitt.
An Inclusive Practice for Cultural Heritage
Thursday, February 25, 2021, 4–5pm
Part of Turning Points: Museum Practice Now
Free virtual event, registration required
An Inclusive Practice for Cultural Heritage is the first event in the conversation series, Turning Points: Museum Practice Now. Pairing recognized leaders in museum practice, one from outside the Pittsburgh region and one from within, the series aims to catalyze important questions about diversity and equity in museums.
Featuring Sanchita Balachandran, Conservator and Associate Director, the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum, and Founder/Director, Untold Stories in conversation with Dominique Luster, Charles “Teenie” Harris Archivist of the Carnegie Museum of Art, this conversation will touch on challenges of collecting and preserving records and stories of the past while championing inclusive practices.
Turning Points is made possible by generous support from the Fine Foundation, to mark the launch of the Museum Studies Major at Pitt.
Book in a Tin: Medieval Manuscript Edition
Saturday, December 3, 2020, 1pm–2:30pm
Free virtual workshop, registration required
The University Art Gallery (UAG) at Pitt is happy to present this unique online bookmaking workshop in conjunction with our new online exhibition, A Nostalgic Filter: Medieval Manuscripts in the Digital Age.
Dive into the details of medieval manuscripts by making a little accordion book that fits in a tin with imagery from medieval manuscripts such as Hildegard of Bingen’s Scivias, the Golden Haggadah, and the Très Riches Heures. San Francisco-based artist Stephanie Jucker will lead this unique bookmaking workshop through Zoom. Participants will also have a chance to explore the online exhibition during the workshop.
This workshop is free. Participants will receive all necessary workshop materials through the mail. Please note we can only mail supplies to addresses within the continental United States.
About the workshop leader: Stephanie Jucker is an exhibiting artist who uses mixed media and printing techniques in her paintings, books, and art installations. She teaches at College of Marin and San Francisco Center for the Book.
This workshop is generously supported by the Fine Foundation.
Virtual Exhibition Tour: A Nostalgic Filter
Wednesday, November 18, 2020, 12–1pm
Part of A Nostalgic Filter: Medieval Manuscripts in the Digital Age
Free virtual event, registration required
Join us for the virtual opening of A Nostalgic Filter: Medieval Manuscripts in the Digital Age. This event will include remarks from Sylvia Rhor, UAG Director and Prof. Shirin Fozi, History of Art & Architecture, followed by a virtual exhibition tour led by the student curators.
Say Her Name: Gallery Conversation with Three Artists (Three Women)
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 5pm–7pm
Part of Three Artists (Three Women)
Free Virtual Event, registration required
Join us for a special gallery conversation with Tina Williams Brewer, Sheila Cuellar-Shaffer, and Fran Gialamas, moderated by Madeline Gent, Executive Director, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (AAP). The artists will discuss their work and their careers, with special attention to the challenges faced by women artists in Pittsburgh.
Drop-in Maker Event: Say Her Name
Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 1pm-3pm
Free and open to the public
Join us for a drop-in maker event to celebrate the Year of the Woman in the UAG! Coloring pages, button-making and collage activities will be available in the Rotunda.
Some Assembly Required: Attack Theatre in Residence
Monday, February 17-Friday, February 21, 2020
Special performance, Friday, February 21, 7pm
Free and open to the public
Attack Theatre is in the house! Drop in to see this unique performance experience that blurs the lines between visual art, music, and dance, and between audience and performer. In a dynamic merging of the planned and spontaneous performances, Attack Theatre’s process engages the audience through improvisation, and dialogue inspired by works in our current exhibitions.
This event is co-sponsored by the Year of Creativity and the Department of Communications.
Exhibition Opening: Mary Ethel McAuley: Behind German Lines & Three Artists (Three Women)
Thursday, February 13, 2020, 5–7pm
Free and open to the public
In 2020, the UAG joins dozens of cultural institutions across the country who have committed to highlighting the work of women artists in exhibitions and programs. Started by Feminist Art Coalition, this initiative marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment and seeks to bring renewed attention to the continued inequities faced by women in the arts and in cultural institutions. As a teaching museum, the UAG will highlight the work of women and female-identifying artists through exhibitions, collaborative partnerships and student-centered engagement.
Mary Ethel McAuley: Behind German Lines and Three Artists (Three Women) were created in partnership with the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (AAP).
Gallery Conversation: Pulling Curiosity Off the Shelf, the Library as Platform for Inquiry
Thursday, January 30, 2020, 5:30–7pm
Free and open to the public
Megan Prelinger of the Prelinger Library in San Francisco leads a discussion about the importance of curiosity in the creative process. This event is co-sponsored by the Studio Arts Department and the Frick Fine Arts Library.
Maker Event 2019: Making Masterpieces
Thursday, December 5, 2019, 5–7pm
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
Join us for an evening of hands-on activities to mark the final day of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp and Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories, including drawing, button-making, yoga in the gallery, sketching in the Cloister, prizes and more! All are welcome to attend. Free food and refreshments!
The Science of the Clapp Collection
Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 1-1:45 p.m.
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
This gallery tour will explore the art and science of the Clapp collection, focusing on the materials and techniques of the exhibit’s selection of early modern drawings, and drawing special attention to the conservation challenges of the collection. The tour will also focus on Clapp’s interests in scientific collecting.
Silver Linings: In conversation with Atticus Adams
Thursday, November 21, 2019, 5:30-7pm
Part of Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories
Free and open to the public
Atticus Adams is a sculptor whose work embodies the transformative power of art to create beauty, meaning, and emotional impact from industrial materials. Using aluminum, bronze, copper, and stainless-steel mesh he creates abstract pieces and installations, which sometimes resemble flowers, clouds, and other natural phenomena. Atticus Adams will be joined by Dr. Sylvia Rhor, Director of the UAG, and Isaiah Bertagnolli, PhD Student, History of Art and Architecture.
The Art of the Clapp Collection
Thursday, November 21, 2019, 1-1:45pm
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
This gallery tour will explore the art and artists of the Clapp collection, focusing on the varied subjects and attributions of the exhibit’s early modern drawings, which range from student copies to original sketches. The tour will also explore the creative side of Clapp’s own collecting tastes.
Spanish Tour: De la arcilla al metal: las historias del aluminio de Pittsburgh
Thursday, November 14, 2019, 5:30-7:30pm
Part of Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories
Free and open to the public
Join us for a Spanish language tour of the current exhibition Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories. This tour will be an excellent opportunity to connect with Spanish speakers of all levels. Led by Paulina Pardo Gaviria, a native Spanish speaker and Ph.D. candidate in Pitt’s History of Art and Architecture department. Food and drink will be provided.
The Science of the Clapp Collection
Thursday, November 14, 2019, 1-1:45pm
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
This gallery tour will explore the art and science of the Clapp collection, focusing on the materials and techniques of the exhibit’s selection of early modern drawings, and drawing special attention to the conservation challenges of the collection. The tour will also focus on Clapp’s interests in scientific collecting.
The Art of the Clapp Collection
Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 1-1:45pm
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
This gallery tour will explore the art and artists of the Clapp collection, focusing on the varied subjects and attributions of the exhibit’s early modern drawings, which range from student copies to original sketches. The tour will also explore the creative side of Clapp’s own collecting tastes.
Una notte al museo/Night at the Museum: Italian Conversation Hour
Thursday, November 7, 2019, 5-7pm
Part of The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp
Free and open to the public
Join us for an Italian language evening hosted by the UAG in collaboration with Italian Studies. Professor Christopher Nygren (History of Art and Architecture) will lead an Italian language tour of the exhibition The Curious Drawings of Doctor Clapp, followed by a demonstration by Ana Rodríguez Castillo of materials featured in the exhibition. Following the event, join us for refreshments and colorful Italian conversation in the Cloister.
Hot Metal Happening with Rivers of Steel Arts
Saturday, November 2, 2019, 1-4pm
Part of Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories
Free and open to the public
Enjoy a day of drop-in demonstrations and DIY activities at the UAG! Make your own cast aluminum mold and take it home. Learn about metal casting from the Rivers of Steel Artists. Join a family friendly tour of Metal from Clay: Pittsburgh’s Aluminum Stories in the University Art Gallery. All ages are welcome. Food and refreshments!
Pop-Up Exhibition: Latinx Artists Books
Monday, October 14, 2019, 2-4pm
Free and open to the public
Browse Latinx artists’ books from the Frick Fine Arts Library. Inspired by the works or want to boost your creative mood? Take part in some DIY button-making in the Cloister.
This event is co-sponsored by the Frick Fine Arts Library.
Film Screening: Dragonfly Eyes by Xu Bing
Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 4:30-7:30pm
Part of Materializing Memory: Contemporary Video Art from China
Free and open to the public
The UAG and Asian Studies Center are pleased to co-present this special screening of artist Xu Bing’s film Dragonfly Eyes. The screening will be followed by a conversation between Professor Gao Minglu, History of Art & Architecture & NYU Tisch School of the Arts Professor Zhen Zhang.
Curator Talk: Ellen Larson on Materializing Memory
Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 12-1pm
Part of Materializing Memory: Contemporary Video Art from China
Free and open to the public
Curator Ellen Larson (PhD Candidate, History of Art) will introduce visitors to the major themes and artists in the exhibition. Larson will put special focus on the works of Chen Dandizi, Lin Ke, Liu Yujia, Shen Xin, and Sun Wenhao.
Materializing Memory: Contemporary Video Art from China Opening Reception
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Free and open to the public
Join us for the opening of the UAG’s first all-video exhibition! Materializing Memory presents the work of five young Chinese artists, all born after 1980. These artists are part China’s balinghou and jiulinghou (post-1980 and post-1990) generations. Unlike earlier practitioners, they came of age following the dramatic economic and cultural reforms of 1978. Through the medium of video art, these artists explore contemporary Chinese society during a period of profound technological and urban transformation. Light refreshments will be provided.
Film Screening: From Africa to India: Sidi from the Indian Ocean Diaspora
Monday, March 18, 2019, 5-8pm
Part of Africans in India: From Slaves to Generals and Rulers
Free and open to the public
Sidis descend from Africans who sailed across the Indian Ocean to the west coast of India over many centuries. This documentary project explores the expressions of their Indian and African cultural heritage.
Curator Talks: Mobility and Exchange
Wednesday, March 6, 2019, 12-1pm
Free and open to the public
Join us as the organizers of the four exhibitions currently on view explore the theme of Mobility & Exchange in their exhibitions. Associate Professor Mina Rajagopalan leads a gallery tour and discussion of the Africans in India exhibition. Graduate students Emi Finkelstein, Rebecca Giordano, Adriana Miramontes, and Brooke Wyatt will introduce us to the works in Global Gestures, and Hot Metal Bridge Fellow Leslie Rose will walk us through Movements. Professor Micki McCoy, Ellen Larson, and undergraduate curators will introduce us to Mapping Mobility: Chinese Objects from the UAG Collection.
Gallery Conversation: Museums, Race and Community
Tuesday, March 5, 2019, 4-5:30pm
Part of Africans in India: From Slaves to Generals and Rulers
Free and open to the public
PhD candidate Jacqueline Lombard will moderate a discussion with Prof. Mina Rajagapolan, artist Njaimeh Njie, and Hot Metal Bridge Fellow Leslie Rose. The group will discuss how race is configured in the exhibitions, programs and missions of museums and how cultural institutions might do better in meeting the needs of diverse communities.
Writing Workshop: Paint to Page
Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 3-4:30pm
Part of Global Gestures: Post-War Abstraction from the Lowenthal Collection
Free and open to the public
Ekphrasis refers to writing inspired by art. Join us in the University Art Gallery to explore and write around artwork from Global Gestures: Post-War Abstraction from the Lowenthal Collection. This will be a generative workshop, with an emphasis on producing text (poetry and/or prose) in an informal and judgment-free zone. No prior writing experience is required: amateurs and beginners are welcome! Materials and supplies provided.
Facilitated by Erik Schuckers, Center for Creativity: The Workshop. Erik’s poetry and nonfiction have appeared in several journals, including Clockhouse, PANK, and Chelsea Station, and he has a special interest in combining words and images through collage, Instagram, and zines. Presented with the Center for Creativity.
Symposia on African Diasporas in the Indian Ocean
Friday, February 22, 2019, 11am-5pm
Part of Africans in India: From Slaves to Generals and Rulers
Humanities Center, Cathedral of Learning 602
This symposium features presentations by Dwight A. Carey and Indrani Chatterjee, plus a roundtable discussion with Yolanda Covington-Ward, RA Judy, Idrissou Mora-Kpai, Imani Owens and Nico Slate.
Presented by the Asian Studies Center and the Humanities Center as part of Year of Pitt Global.
Exhibition Opening: Africans in India: From Slaves to Generals and Rulers & Global Gestures
Thursday, February 15, 2019, 5-7pm
Join us for the opening of this special exhibition on loan from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The exhibition curators and visiting scholars will join us in the gallery.
Maker Event: Making Change
Thursday, December 6, 2018, 5-7pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Join us for hands-on activities to mark the final day of This is Not Ideal, including feminist button making, queer coloring books, music and more! Snacks and light refreshments will be provided.
Exhibition Tour: Women Artists at the UAG
Thursday, November 29, 2018, 11am-12pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Students from HAA1020 will present a tour of the exhibition emphasizing the achievements of women as artists in a world that so often paints them as objects.
Exhibition Tour: Queer Subjects, Queer Artists
Tuesday, November 27, 2018, 11am-12pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Students from HAA1020 will present an exhibition tour that brings out the presence of LGBT makers and themes throughout This is Not Ideal.
Artist Talk: Katie Ott
Thursday, November 15, 2018, 5:30-7pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Join artist Katie Ott to discuss her works in This is Not Ideal. Ott identifies as a queer intersectional feminist who defies the masculine conventions of the woodworking ‘boys club.’ She uses furniture to explore sexism and LGBTQ+ issues. Light refreshments provided.
Exhibition Tour: Looking at Nudes
Thursday, November 15, 2018, 11am-12pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Students from HAA1020 will present an exhibition tour considering the politics and ethics of the representations of the nude figure included in This is Not Ideal.
Exhibition Tour: Fashioning the Self
Tuesday, November 13, 2018, 11am-12pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
Students from HAA1020 will present an exhibition tour exploring fashion and beauty ideals as forms of self-expression, but also as tools of oppression.
Gallery Conversation: Art & Art History in the #MeToo Era
Wednesday, November 7, 2018, 4-6pm
Part of This is Not Ideal: Gender Myths and Their Transformation
Free and open to the public
PhD candidate Nicole F. Scalissi facilitates an open conversation with students, academics, and community providers/community support resources to explore how we engage with images of sexualized violence throughout the history of art in the era of #metoo.
Conversations with the Artists
Wednesday, September 20, 2018, 12-1pm
Part of Unboxed
Free and open to the public
Studio Art alumni and faculty will lead us through UNBOXED, highlighting their works and sharing their experiences while students at Pitt and how that has shaped their careers today.
Exhibition Opening: Unboxed
Thursday, September 13, 2018, 4-6pm
Free and open to the public
Join us for the opening of UNBOXED, a 50th Anniversary Alumni Exhibition. Through the work of our talented alumni, this exhibition is an opportunity to honor the accomplishments of Studio Arts Department at Pitt over the past 50 years and to build and enhance connections among alumni, faculty, students, and community members.