Dates
Travel Dates: June 6 - July 1, 2019
Priority Deadline for scholarship consideration: November 30, 2018
Registration Deadline: February 1, 2019
Program Overview
Explore the 58th Venice Biennale, the premier international exposition of contemporary art founded in 1895. In this interdisciplinary program, you will visit historical national pavilions in the Biennale Gardens and the nearby Arsenale as you witness first-hand the magical transformation of these spaces, including the work of Martin Puryear in the 2019 U.S. pavilion.
In addition to exploring the historical sites of the biennale, we will seek out projects and installations located throughout the seductive architecture of this labyrinthine city. You will tour the centuries-old Accademia museum, Peggy Guggenheim’s jewel-like collection of modern art, the creatively curated Mario Fortuny Museum, the François Pinault Collection, and the Prada Foundation to gain insights into the international art scene embedded in Venice. As you absorb the sights and sounds of contemporary Venice, the Murano glass industry, the dramatic mosaic of the Last Judgment in the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello, and Giotto’s Arena Chapel in Padua, you will practice the craft of art criticism on site. We will also make day trips to nearby towns such as Ferrara, Trieste, and Rovereto.
Classes are held both in the classroom and on location throughout the program. Local experts, curators, art historians, and participating artists in this year’s Biennale will provide special lectures. As you experience the sights and sounds of Venice, you will live on the beautiful breezy island of San Servolo, just ten minutes away from the historic Piazza San Marco. Fully equipped with wireless connections, an affordable cafeteria, luxurious grounds, and access to the nearby Lido beaches, San Servolo provides a wonderful balance to the academic side of this program.
Faculty
Jennie Hirsh has taught modern and contemporary art history at MICA since 2007 and also oversees the graduate Concentration in Critical Studies. Co-editor of Contemporary Art and Classical Myth (2011), she has published numerous essays on modern and contemporary Italian art, architecture, and cinema, and is currently completing a monograph on painter and writer Giorgio de Chirico. She has directed MICA’s program in Venice since 2009, and has lived and taught in various cities in Italy for the past 25 years.
Kerr Houston has taught art history and art criticism at MICA since 2002, and has also served as an instructor in programs based in Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic. He is the author of An Introduction to Art Criticism, has published numerous articles on Renaissance Italian and modern art, and regularly contributes to BmoreArt.
Program Fees
$7,900 estimated (does not include international airfare) Includes tuition for 6 undergraduate credits in Art History or 3 in Art History and 3 in Humanistic Studies.
Questions
Contact program coordinator Jennie Hirsh at jhirsh@mica.edu.
Open to undergraduate and graduate students in all majors--18 years or older with a valid passport--who have completed at least one year of college. For all programs, credits can be applied to Studio Elective. For more information, or to inquire about scholarships, contact MICA Open Studies at openstudies@mica.edu or 410-225-2219.