UR Art and Art History students experience NYC art firsthand

At the end of October 2019, University of Richmond Art and Art History students traveled to New York City to explore museums and works from artists they had learned about in class. It was a unique opportunity to experience world-class art museums through both independent discovery and professor-led tours. The goal: become inspired by new exhibitions and meet professional artists.

The itinerary included touring the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum to see “Artistic License,” a series of six exhibits curated by noted contemporary artists; Simon Weil’s sculpture installation; and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Defacement.” As well as tours of the Met, Morgan Library & Museum, the Editions/Artists' Books Fair, and an UR alumni reunion on the rooftop of Pod 39.

Shanna Gerlach ’20, who is duel majoring in Psychology and Theatre with a minor in Visual Media Arts Practice, attended the trip. Gerlach remarked, “As a theatre major, getting to experience the immersive show "Update" was really significant for me because that's the kind of innovative theatre I'd love to work on in the future. Just being in New York made me think seriously about where I'd like to live after graduation, and seeing all the different things people are doing reminded me that there are so many opportunities to create.”

The group rounded out the visit with a stop in Times Square to see Kehinde Wiley’s “Rumors of War,” a sculpture that responds to Confederate monuments in Richmond, VA, which will be permanently installed in front of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in December 2019.