Number 44 – Summer 2008 newsletteAlumniR institute of fine ARts Three lectures by Molly Nesbit 2008 Kirk Varnedoe Visiting Professor Contents Varnedoe Memorial Lectures . 1 by Phyllis Tuchman that had seen better times. Yet, Nesbit persuasively established how Buffalo, From the Director. 3 during a historical period that witnessed Viet Nam War protests, Attica, Kent Conservation Center Symposium State, and Black Power, functioned as “a . 5 beacon.” In “Open Sites: April 8, 1970/ Spanish and Latin American Michel Foucault Lectures on Manet at Colloquium. .6 the Albright-Knox,” she focused on the philosopher who, during the spring of Cook Lecture. .7 1970, held a teaching position in the Jonathan Brown Symposium . 8 French literature department at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Smyth Interview. 10 At that time, he was reading Erwin Panofsky, had discussed Las Meninas in Retirement for “Billy”. 13 the prologue of one of his books, and Linda Nochlin and Molly Nesbit Memories of Hansen. .14 was planning to write another book on Professor Molly Nesbit of Vassar College, Edouard Manet. In Memoriam: the 2008 Kirk Varnedoe Visiting Professor, delivered three lectures under The philosopher, Nesbit explained, saw Noel Frackman . .15 the collective title Light in Buffalo to Manet “turning…toward the light,” Ida Rubin. 16 attentive audiences at the IFA this a situation which entailed his “taking past April. Both Nesbit’s talents as a into account the real light that would Summer Stipends. .17 commentator on events staged in the ultimately strike and illuminate the art world four decades ago, as well painting…” For Nesbit, Foucault is “a Outside Fellowships. .19 as her skills as a speaker earned her master of using a question to interrupt Completed Dissertations . 20 plaudits from all who attended. Institute the standing questions, using the Professor Linda Nochlin was just one of question as an axe.” And at the outset of Proposed Dissertations . 20 many who commented on the originality her own presentation, she proposed some and brilliance of these talks. of her own, which served as leitmotifs Faculty News. 21 for these lively evenings. Nesbit asked: Alumni News . 23 Professor Nesbit brought her listeners “What is the physical reality of a to a town far removed from the centers thought? A lecture? A painting? Where Alumni Donors. .45 of art, a once bustling American city does a work stand? 1 continued on page 5 Institute of Fine Arts Alumni Association Officers: Board of Directors: Committees: President Term ending April 1, 2009 Newsletter Suzanne Stratton-Pruitt Gertje Utley Gertje Utley, Editor [email protected] [email protected] Contributors Ariella Budick Lisa Banner Vice-President [email protected] Miriam Basilio Gerrit L. Lansing Anuja Butala [email protected] Term ending April 1, 2010 Ruth Bowman Valerie Hillings Arielle Budick Treasurer [email protected] Marc Cincone Lisa Rotmil Jason Rosenfeld John M. Hunisak [email protected] [email protected] Keith Kelly Susan Galassi Kathleen Heins Secretary Term ending April 1, 2011 Michele Marincola Miriam Basilio Sabine Rewald Jenni M. Rodda [email protected] [email protected] Nita Roberts Marie Tanner Sandra Sider Ex-Officio [email protected] Munir Y. Taja Past Presidents Phyllis Tuchman Mary Tavener Holmes Connie Lowenthal History of the IFA Sandra Sider, Chair Lisa Banner Helen Evans Lorraine Karafel Christopher Noey Rebecca Rushfield Phyllis Tuchman Alison West Grants Charles Little, Chair Sabine Rewald Miriam Basilio Walter S. Cook Lecture Beth Holman, Chair Pepe Karmel Carol Krinsky Kathy Schwab Anita Moskowitz CAA Reunion Mary Tavener Holmes Nominating Committee Robert Lubar, Chair 2 From the Director Mariët Westermann When I took up the directorship in Faculty Development Initiatives 2002 I was immediately impressed by There is no question that a superb faculty the community’s deep commitment to makes a premier institution of higher the Institute’s tripartite mission: training education and research. My faculty the next generation of art historians, colleagues and I set the rejuvenation, archaeologists and conservators; advancing diversification and expansion of our faculty research and scholarship; and serving as as major objectives, and have enjoyed a premier public forum in our fields of tremendous opportunities for these goals. interest. Over these past six years, we have I would like to thank the University for continued to steward this mission carefully its innovative Partners Initiative, which and have achieved, I believe, strong provided generous bridge funding for results along the way. We attract the most new professorial lines at the IFA. In promising students in the country and the addition, we began to address vacancies world, and they perform admirably. They in a structural way, determining how make important scholarly and intellectual faculty searches should be sequenced to contributions while still at the IFA, and realize our academic goals without making they form a distinctive, worldwide cohort rushed judgments or overextending our As always, our Commencement Ceremony of alumni at the top of their fields, as search capacity. With gratitude for the in May prompted me to think about our you’ll read in this newsletter. Our faculty diligent work of so many on the faculty, mission as we conferred a record 23 PhDs, is extremely active, leading an impressive I am proud to say that we have met 43 MAs, and 9 Advanced Certificates in range of research endeavors, including with enormous success in an extremely Conservation, and our graduates and their publishing, curating and presenting competitive landscape for top academic families buzzed with excitement about research in the most distinguished venues talent. Over the past two years we have next steps. The end of this academic year in the world. Our role as a public arts welcomed an astonishing eight new also marked the passing of a wonderful forum has much expanded in recent years. members to the Institute faculty. They milestone in the history of the Institute, The IFA provides a neutral and necessary include Clemente Marconi in Archaic and our 75th Anniversary. During the year we platform, in an unparalleled location, for Classical Greece, Hannelore Roemich in paused from time to time to remember the free presentation of new ideas and Conservation Science, Thelma Thompson our history, to marvel at how times have the engagement of intellectual challenges. in Byzantine, Thomas Crow in Modern changed, and to consider future directions. Institute conferences, lectures, workshops, and Contemporary, Barry Flood in The reflective mood has had a particular and conversations with artists foster open Islamic, Alexander Nagel in Renaissance, poignancy for me, as this is the last year discussion and dialogue among the diverse Philippe de Montebello in a newly created I will write to you from the director’s members of the greater arts community. professorship in the history and culture of perspective. My colleague and good friend, museums, and Hsueh-man Shen in Pre- Michele Marincola, has agreed to assume For all of this to happen successfully, Ming China. In addition, we established the role of interim director while the search the Institute is supported by four inter- the Kirk Varnedoe Visiting Professorship, for a new director proceeds and I focus locking pillars that enable us to sustain and and Edward Sullivan will expand his my day-to-day energies on building NYU maintain our position as a first-class center teaching and mentoring responsibilities Abu Dhabi. I am delighted that I remain of graduate education and research. They at the IFA, deepening our capacity in the a member of the Institute faculty, and will are a strong Faculty, healthy Fellowship burgeoning field of Latin American art. be teaching in my area of expertise, 17th resources to attract and retain student century Dutch painting. Now, in light of talent, Facilities that support and enhance The generosity of our Board of Trustees my transition, I would like to reflect on our teaching mission, and a multi-tiered and many other donors contributed what we as a community—of trustees, public Forum. The soundness of these mightily to faculty development by the faculty, administration, students and pillars is critical to our ability to excel, and establishment of five new chairs. The alumni—have shared and accomplished. as such they remain constantly in our focus. Judy and Michael Steinhardt Directorship 3 From the Director CONTINUED and the Eugene Thaw Chair in Paper and we made it a fundraising theme during provided by a passage linking the buildings Conservation, currently held by Peggy our 75th anniversary year. together, the Solow Center presents a truly Ellis, signal the importance of these exciting opportunity to create space and positions for the Institute. The Andrew I am happy to report that our enhance our campus. Fundraising for W. Mellon Foundation and the Sherman Development office has led a most construction is now under way. Fairchild Foundation jointly underwrote successful effort in this and other domains. an endowed conservation science chair, We are particularly proud of and thankful Our Flourishing Forum and anonymous donors supported the for the increased support we have seen Public programming at the Institute Fiske Kimball Professorship in the History from our alumni, whose contributions is wide-ranging, offering a variety of and Culture of Museums. And broadly have grown a remarkable 20% in each of formats from lectures to symposia to based donor support made possible the the past two years. This past December, in conferences that attract and gather Kirk Varnedoe Visiting Professorship, honor of our 75th anniversary, a $50,000 diverse audiences. The academic year which has just completed its second year matching grant was offered by a generous now brims with a full schedule of events to great effect. I send renewed thanks alum, and it was handily met in just three open to the larger community.