FACULTY OBITUARIES

He also was a respected “Virtuoso” of the Visual Arts mentor. “Rob had this magnificent, soothing, Renowned Expressionist David Aronson Brahmin accent—I still developed the School of Visual Arts remember the first time I heard it,” Tolan says. “He By Mara Sassoon was one of the reasons I came to BU. He helped me g As the first see research projects that chair of the wouldn’t have been visible School of otherwise.” Visual Arts, David Aronson Hausman left a lasting built the core impression on many of curriculum his students as well. “Rob that “shaped was not only a memorable much of the foundation mentor,” says Bukhtiar program still Shah (GRS’93), who in existence worked with him while today,” says pursuing a PhD, “but also Lynne Allen, a very fine human being.” dean ad interim of Hausman, he says, treated the College of his students “like family. Fine Arts.

He was always prepared BU PHOTOGRAPHY to listen to and solve our problems.” A key figure in the ing liberal arts course requirements that He was equally dedi- movement—with art marked by the use of would prepare students before they chose cated to his own research, bold brushwork, dark satire, and, often, an area of specialization. says Bill Eldred, a CAS pro- spiritual themes—David Aronson created The curriculum Aronson created with fessor of biology. Hausman sculptures, paintings, and drawings that the help of the prestigious faculty he specialized in nervous sys- reflected his complicated relationship recruited—which boasted distinguished tem development, focusing with religion. These works include six- artists such as late professors emeritus on the retinal and muscle foot charcoal and pastel drawings and an Conger Metcalf, Joseph Ablow, and Jack development in chick em- almost eight-foot bronze door. Kramer—emphasized drawing, requiring bryos. He discovered and “It would have been easier to go ahead students to take six to nine hours of draw- purified a protein in chick and make smaller works,” says his long- ing classes a week for the duration of their retinas he called cognin, time art dealer, Bernie Pucker, “but rather time at BU. “David’s vision of an art school which enables retinal than giving in to his facility, David always has shaped much of the foundation pro- neurons to recognize each challenged himself.” gram still in existence today,” says Lynne other and group together, Aronson, a professor emeritus of art Allen, CFA dean ad interim. During his playing an important role who taught at the College of Fine Arts for tenure as chair, Aronson also established in the overall development more than 30 years and developed the the Art Gallery at 855 of the retina. School of Visual Arts, died on July 2, 2015. Commonwealth Ave. According to both El- He was 91. Aronson resigned from his position as dred and Tolan, Hausman’s In 1955, Aronson became the first chair chair of the School of Visual Arts in 1963 passion for his research of Boston University’s new Division of to focus on teaching senior- and graduate- played a key role in his Art, today known as the School of Visual level painting courses, which he taught ability to develop a strong Arts. BU’s visual arts program launched until he retired in 1989. He continued to neurobiology curriculum during a national change in education for build the program, and even recruited at the University. “Before professional artists, when studio programs painter to teach a monthly Rob arrived,” Eldred says, within university settings were increasing seminar at the University. “there were practically no in popularity over traditional art schools Aronson forged his career on his own neuroscience courses at and private studio classes. Aronson un- terms. His Orthodox Jewish father, a BU.” Hausman, says Tolan, dertook the task of building a strong visual rabbi, had wanted him to follow in his “has left a great legacy.” arts core curriculum alongside BU’s exist- footsteps, but Aronson pursued his own

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74-79_Bostonia_FA15.indd 76 9/30/15 11:45 AM artistic passions and enrolled in the !"#"$ %&'(')*+,+-.+/, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, 86, a College of Arts & where he studied painting under Karl Sciences professor Zerbe, a leader of the Boston Expression- emeritus of philosophy, ist movement, and eventually taught. on April 1, 2015. There, he met his wife, Georgianna, who Born in Heraklion, Crete, in had been his student. (Their son, Ben 1928, Diamandopoulos attended Aronson, CFA’80,’82, is also a painter, Athens College. He immigrated to based in Framingham, Mass.) the United States in 1948 to attend His work garnered national accolades. Harvard University, where he In 1946, when Aronson was just 22, the earned a BA, an MA, and a PhD. selected him A lifelong educator, he taught PETER DIAMANDOPOULOS

as one of the artists for its “Fourteen at the University of Maryland and VERNON DOUCETTE Americans” exhibition. Aronson was at Brandeis University, where he the youngest in the small group that in- was dean of faculty from 1965 to business from Arizona State cluded noted artists Saul Steinberg and 1971 and chair of the philosophy University, a master’s in phi- Robert Mother well. department from 1972 to 1976. losophy from the University of He incorporated New Testament He was also director of studies at Arizona, and a PhD in philoso- themes into his early work, an especially the Adlai Stevenson Institute of phy from Harvard University. daring act, as he grew up in a strictly Or- International Affairs from 1969 In 1965, he joined BU’s thodox Jewish household. Angels were a to 1974. philosophy department, where prevalent motif, says Pucker, adding that Diamandopoulos was named he taught for more than 30 years. the “introduction of angels was very much president of Sonoma State Uni- An analytic philosopher, Martin against Jewish tradition.” Aronson was versity in 1977 and president wrote numerous books on the “questioning issues of what is holy and of Adelphi University in 1985. philosophies of religion, social what is profane. He himself was wrestling Following his tenure at Adelphi, science, and law; in many of his with those angels. That, I think, would be a he was special assistant to the works, he examined atheism, a perfect way of understanding his work.” president and a professor of subject he was passionate about. The prolific artist won many awards for philosophy at Boston University. It was one of those books, his paintings, sculptures, and drawings, in- He retired in 2008. A proud son Atheism: A Philosophical Justifi- cluding a 1960 Guggenheim fellowship. He of Greece, he was known for his cation (Temple University Press, continued to challenge himself by not only love of books, music, fine cigars, 1990) that inspired Tyler Wunder experimenting with massive scale, but also and cognac. He continued to sup- (GRS’06) to come to BU from by changing his mediums, from charcoal to port his alma mater as a trustee Canada to study with Martin. pencil to oil paint to the more esoteric me- of Athens College. “I was never disappointed with dium of encaustic (hot pigmented wax). my choice,” says Wunder. “Mike His eight-foot bronze door aptly titled 0&12'". 0'$#&), 83, a was superb. He was brilliant, The Door, a triptych of intricate panels College of Arts & Sciences knowledgeable, and generous made between 1963 and 1969, is on display professor emeritus of phi- with his time. He stayed on as my at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. losophy, on May 27, 2015. advisor even into his retirement.” This work is another example of how Martin’s former colleagues and Wunder says Martin and his Aronson challenged himself, says Pucker. students say the ex-marine’s rough wife, Jane, a professor emerita of “It’s just a phenomenal work for a con- exterior belied a gentle personality. philosophy at the University of temporary artist. He was not someone “Although he could be as tough as Massachusetts Boston, welcomed who had an entire studio. He did not have the former marine he was when him to their home, even putting 20 apprentices helping him. There’s a it came to argument, he had a him up for the night when he had built-in restraint to being a virtuoso, genuine Midwestern friendli- to defend his dissertation. and he showed it in this piece.” ness and a wonderful dry sense Lee McIntyre, now a research Aronson never considered a work of of humor,” says Allen Speight, a fellow at BU’s Center for Phi- art finished, says Pucker. “David’s is a CAS associate professor and chair losophy & History of Science, very carefully, thoughtfully created body of philosophy. credits Martin’s generosity and of work. It was only because of catalogue Martin grew up in Cincinnati, mentorship with jump-starting deadlines that we got the work away from Ohio, and joined the Marine Corps his career. McIntyre had nearly him. I admired that.” at 17. He earned a bachelor’s in completed a PhD in philosophy

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