History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons^™

“The Entire Art Movement Has Become An Enormous Business Venture” Financing The American Art Museum, Lucy Owen

MA Theses

This thesis examines the intricate relationship between financial operations and the public function of American art museums. The distinctive American nonprofit model relies heavily on private funds for its survival and success. The thesis traces the historical development of this model, and then analyzes the contemporary state of American art museums, with a specific focus on two prominent institutions: MoMA PS1 and the Yale University Art Gallery. The analysis highlights the significant influence of board members' financial contributions and their business expertise on museum operations. Moreover, the thesis argues that the museum world has undergone rapid financialization in the twenty-first …

Female Photographers’ Practices And Markets: A Three-Part Case Study, Emma Howard

MA Theses

This thesis explores the intertwined histories of artistic legacy, cultural impact, and market reception of female photographers, who have often been decentered in art history and overshadowed by male contemporaries. While photography has historically been more inclusive to women than other art forms, women photographers have nonetheless faced marginalization in the canon of photography history and the art market. Building on efforts to reclaim and elevate the contributions of women photographers, this research integrates art historical and market analyses to provide a holistic understanding of their careers and legacies. Through detailed case studies, this thesis examines the artistic practices, biographical …

Modern Mother: Abby Aldrich Rockefeller And The Visionary Women Who Founded The Museum Of Modern Art, Sophie Dowling

MA Theses

This thesis analyzes the role that women played in founding The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1929 during an era in which the prevailing attitude toward modern art in America was one of bewilderment and derision. MoMA was founded by three women: Lillie Plummer Bliss, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller and Mary Quinn Sullivan. At a time when their male counterparts were more focused on collecting Renaissance and Old Master paintings, French decorative arts, Chinese porcelain and medieval tapestries, these women chose to collect modern art. Avant-garde art, which was shown en masse to the American public in 1913 at the …

Art Collecting In India Through The Ages, Muskaan Mehta

MA Theses

This study examines the evolution of art collecting in India, from royal patronage to modern practices shaped by socio-political and economic changes. It highlights the ancient tradition of art– serving spiritual, cultural, and political purposes, evolving through colonial influences that introduced Western aesthetics and private collecting. Post-independence, collecting in India became a means of reclaiming cultural identity, marked by movements like that of the Progressive Artists' Group. Three collections illustrate the diversity of contemporary Indian collecting- the personal collection of Kiran Nadar and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art focusing on public engagement and modern Indian art; Vinay Sheth’s private, …

How Social Media Is Reshaping The Art Market: Catalyzing The Rise Of The Art Agency Model In The United States, Leo Braudy

MA Theses

The art world is undergoing a fundamental transformation, marked by a shift from the traditional gallery-centric model to a talent agency model akin to those in the entertainment and music industries. This evolution is driven by the increasing influence of social media platforms, which empower artists to directly engage with audiences, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers of galleries and auction houses. Drawing on insights from industry reports, social media analytics, and case studies, this thesis explores how social media has catalyzed this shift and examines its implications for artists, collectors, and the broader art market. It argues that the rise of …

The Impact Of Social Media Influencers On Contemporary Art Trends - A Comprehensive Analysis, Babette Meng

MA Theses

Social media have revolutionized the contemporary art market, how artists promote their work, how collectors initially find pieces, and how art is valued and sold. This study investigates the effects of social media on the art industry using a mixed methods approach consisting of qualitative case studies enabled by thematic analysis and quantitative survey with statistical correlation analysis. Key findings from this paper show that with social media, the artist's visibility is vastly increased, direct-to-collector sales are promoted, and dependence on traditional galleries is reduced. The study considers the position of art influencers in the process of art promotion, which …

Tradition Reimagined, Andrea Ortiz

MA Projects

Tradition Reimagined explores the dynamic intersection of traditional Mexican craftsmanship and contemporary art, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Mexico while embracing innovative artistic practices. This exhibition brings together an extraordinary collaboration between Mexican artisans, whose ancestral techniques have been passed down through generations, and contemporary artists who reinterpret these traditions through a modern lens. Hosted at Galería Kurimanzutto’s Chelsea space in New York, the exhibition highlights the importance of preserving artisanal practices in an era where immediacy and mass production threaten their sustainability. Artisans from regions such as Oaxaca, Jalisco, Chiapas, and Puebla bring their expertise in weaving, ceramics, …

Things Of Beauty: Madame De Pompadour, Patroness Of 18th Century French Arts, Mitaali Vohra

MA Projects

Things of Beauty: Madame de Pompadour, Patroness of 18th Century French Arts takes the shape of an exhibition that will be held at The National Gallery London, starting Thursday, December 12 2024 as a commemoration of a sophisticated, international icon of style, luxury and the arts - Marquise de Pompadour. The exhibition opens the following week of one of the most important decorative arts auctions of the year - Treasures London at Sotheby’s, which will be held on December 4, 2024 and present for sale, works of historical and bold scale, design and beauty, including a chance find of four …

Artcatalyze Investments: Empowering Art Investment Innovation, Wan Yu Hung

MA Projects

The Art Investment Fund represents an ambitious fusion of art expertise with state-of-the-art Web3 and cryptocurrency technology, poised to revolutionize the landscape of art investment. At its core, the Fund is dedicated to establishing a secure and transparent art investment trading platform that caters to the needs of artists and collectors alike. Anchored by a team of seasoned art advisors, the Fund offers personalized guidance tailored to each client's unique financial goals, ensuring that investment decisions are informed and strategic. Additionally, a cadre of skilled art restorers plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and enhancing the long-term appreciation …

Catalysta Proyecto: A Hybrid Approach To Showcasing Latin American Art In The Dominican Republic, Valerie Cabrera Brugal

MA Projects

Catalysta is a contemporary online art gallery that exclusively features Latin American artists, creating a dedicated platform for these voices to be seen and celebrated on the global stage. Our mission is to simplify the often-overwhelming experience of entering the art world, especially for young collectors who are new to the process. Our product offers a streamlined and accessible way to discover and purchase high-quality artwork without the traditional barriers. By providing information on the artist’s background, a description of the artwork and full disclosure of the price we offer a simple way of accessing and acquiring an art piece. …

Journey To Enlightenment: The Spiritual Essence Of Himalayan Art, Danji Jiang

MA Projects

"Journey to Enlightenment: The Spiritual Essence of Himalayan Art" is a groundbreaking and relocatable exhibition, with its inaugural presentation envisioned at Hong Kong's M+ Museum. This immersive exhibition redefines how audiences engage with Himalayan art, shifting the focus from its historical and decorative interpretations to its intangible essence—the spiritual energy, emotional resonance, and universal truths that inspired its creation. By integrating advanced technologies such as VR, AI, and lighting design, the exhibition reconstructs the original context in which these artifacts were created, offering a transformative experience that bridges the gap between ancient spiritual practices and contemporary engagement. The concept of …

Imperialist Exploration: An Analysis Of Howard Carter’S Discovery Of Tutankhamun’S Tomb In The Context Of British Colonial Presence In 20th-Century Egypt, Mariam Kharboush

The Undergraduate Research Journal

The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 became one of the most publicized archaeological events of the twentieth century, shaping global perceptions of ancient Egypt and Egyptology. This paper examines how the political conditions of British colonial dominance influenced both the circumstances of Howard Carter’s excavation and the narratives constructed around it. By situating the discovery within British-controlled Egypt, analyzing British and Egyptian press coverage, and examining conflicts between Carter, the French-led Egyptian Antiquities Service, and Egyptian intermediaries, the study argues that the excavation was deeply embedded in imperial power structures. British media framed the discovery as an English achievement, …

Women In Orientalist Paintings: The Different Symbols Women Represented In Orientalist Paintings In The Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Century, Malak Ahmed

The Undergraduate Research Journal

Art is one tool that indirectly affects people’s thoughts and perceptions. Orientalist painting is a type of art that reflects some of the mistaken stereotypes the West has about Oriental societies, such as inferiority, hypersexuality, and objectification of women. Understanding the artistic symbols and elements of representation defining women’s roles in Oriental societies in such paintings is one way to take further steps towards eradicating stereotypes about Oriental women. Research to date has mainly focused on the sexual representations of women in Orientalist paintings, and no due care has been given to the different symbols that the paintings include. This …

Silent Testimonies: The Global Evolution Of Grave Marker Art And Meaning, Erik Culley

Bakerman Student Research Awards

Grave markers are more than simple memorials; they are meaningful cultural objects that reflect how societies understand death, identity, belief, class, and community values. The size, material, decoration, and inscriptions of gravestones change over time in response to economic conditions, religious beliefs, social structures, and consumer culture. By studying grave markers across different regions and historical periods—such as early modern Europe, nineteenth-century Germany, and immigrant cemeteries in Australia—archaeologists can trace broader cultural transformations. Research shows that the rise of external grave markers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was closely tied to increased material consumption and a growing emphasis on …

Blackness And Nineteenth-Century Art In The Atlantic World, Rachel Hooper

Curatorial Publications

No abstract provided.

In Praise Of Dust, Hasler Gomez-Perez

Theses and Dissertations

A desire path is a physical manifestation of where a system has failed, but also where it has been refused, where a new path has been made. The wake exists in the post, it is not a singular, untethered event, but a subtle double entendre that lives in the post-death, but also in the pre-life—not a liminal limbo, but a superposition of dying and waking.

This collection was assembled and composed over the course of two years as I navigated my practice, myself, and others. Present here are my thoughts, my experiences, and in many ways my beliefs. IN PRAISE …

The Paradox Of Value, David Enrique Guarnizo

Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis project examines how, in the United States, and especially in the state of Virginia, archetypes of "wealth," "value," and "identity" have been constructed in relation to land and territory. This analysis explores the tension between the inherent value of life on the land and the economic value that can be derived from it. This tension is exemplified by a theory known as the "paradox of value", also referred to as the "paradox of water and diamonds", which was developed by the renowned Scottish economist and philosopher, Adam Smith. This theoretical framework serves as a fundamental axis for …

In Harmony: The Environmental Lives Of Marianne North, Beatrix Farrand, And Mary Hunter Austin, Willa Frank

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis explores the lives and careers of botanical painter Marianne North, landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, and literary nature writer Mary Hunter Austin to examine the interplay of femininity and the representation of nature in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. All three figures had an approach to environmental representation which was based in field work, knowing a place truly, and a sense of harmony between subject and context of the produced work. This method did not occur because they were women or because it was an inherent feature of their assigned sex. Rather, their socialization in the Anglo-American …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …