History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons^™

Tradition And Representation In The Work Of Contemporary Native American Art, Florence Romero

Summer Research Showcase

This presentation investigates the origins of contemporary Native American art in the mid-to late twentieth century to gain a deeper understanding of the broader contours of the field of contemporary art by Native Americans, to understand some of the key issues that these artists are interested in, and research the work of select contemporary Indigenous artists. Using comparative analysis of six case studies of contemporary Indigenous artists, this presentation will examine how these artists deal with themes of tradition and modernity and respond to how Native Americans have been misrepresented in the past and how these representations have impacted them …

"The First Web Novel At 30: The Collection And The Creative Process", Robert Arellano, Scott Rettberg

ELO (un)supervised 2026

Summer 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Sunshine '69, recognized as the first novelistic hypertext fiction published on the web. While the full work remains accessible online—an "(un)supervised" preservation achievement in itself—the archive remains split between boxes and memory. This conversation between the work's creator and a major scholar in electronic literature documents both specific preservation challenges and systemic patterns in what the field chooses to preserve.

Topics include: figuring out web-born composition before established methodologies existed; the three decades of technical decisions that kept a 1996 work alive through format obsolescence and server migrations; and what gets lost …

Man.A.Machine.Txt, James H. Pardue

ELO (un)supervised 2026

man.A.machine.txt is an audiovisual composition generated in real time through a real-time multimedia system that remediates the words of Julien Offray de La Mettrie’s Man a Machine, a foundational text of eighteenth-century materialist philosophy. The system produces cut-up poetry and a particle cloud, transforming the original text into a shifting field of language and data. In Man a Machine, La Mettrie argues that body and soul are inseparable, proposing sleep as the moment in which their unity becomes undeniable. By remediating this text, I seek to reactivate its materialist concerns within our present technological condition—one increasingly defined by …

Archival Storytelling: Remembering Our Digital History, Dene Grigar

ELO (un)supervised 2026

In When We Are No More: How Digital Memory Is Reshaping Our Future, Abby Smith Rumsey argues that memory is required for survival and impacts not only the survival of a species but of that species’ culture. Needed in this “Age of Matter,” as she calls it, are documentation practices that address the way in which physical and digital memory systems can be combined and harnessed to preserve human experience (13).

This paper addresses Rumsey’s challenge. Using the physical and digital archives held in The NEXT’s collections, it introduces archival storytelling as a method for documenting and, thus, remembering …

Electronic Literature In Ai Data Work, Mihai Bacaran

ELO (un)supervised 2026

This paper is based on my personal experience of working as a transcriber for AI projects between 2023 and 2025 in a Business Process Outsourcing company located in Eastern Europe. The job of transcribers is to listen to audio recordings provided by The Client (a major tech company whose name cannot be mentioned due to nondisclosure agreements) and either transcribe them from scratch or correct an AI generated transcription. The recordings are gathered from users of digital devices, many of whom appear unaware of being recorded.

During the transcription work, probably due to the excruciating boredom of performing the same …

The Digital Museum: Classical Reception In Animal Crossing New Horizons, Anna G. Kendall

Create@State

My project examines how Animal Crossing: New Horizons brings the ancient body into a modern, digital world through its recreations of classical Greek sculptures. In the game, players can collect, study, and display famous works such as the Venus de Milo, Discobolus, and Nike of Samothrace in a virtual museum. These sculptures reveal how the Greeks represented beauty, strength, and divine movement through the human form. By interacting with them in-game, players connect with these ancient ideas of the body in a new way. The game’s system of real and fake artworks also teaches players to look closely and …

An Analysis Of Katsinam Figurines In The University's Gendler Collection, Sam Rekstad

Undergraduate Research Symposium (2026- )

After a cultural shift in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Euro-American collectors and ethnologists took a significant interest in sacred indigenous objects such as the Hopi Katsinam figurines, which spurred transformations in the ways the figurines tended to be stylized, as well as in how they were circulated. Such figures were initially created solely for ritual and communal purposes, but in modern and contemporary times, they are often created by makers who identify themselves as artists. In this project, I study the history surrounding the creation and distribution of Katsina figurines and also examine selected Katsina figurines in …

Hotels As Placemakers In Downtown Los Angeles, 1890-1950, Chrissie Alea Rensing, Megan Kendrick

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Early twentieth-century Los Angeles is often characterized as a rapidly expanding metropolis shaped by informal segregation along lines of race, class, and gender. Yet within this landscape, hotels and lodging houses sometimes functioned as unexpected sites of inclusion and community for marginalized populations. This project investigates how these spaces of hospitality served women and racial minorities between 1890 and 1950 in Los Angeles. Drawing from recent scholarship from Natalia Molina and others, we set out to examine the role of vernacular hotel architecture and the “placemakers” who operated them.

The project involved examining hundreds of handwritten census pages and original …

Two Wrestlers: An Unrealized Herculean Pendant To Michelangelo’S David, Theodore Mayberry

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Following the completion of Michelangelo’s David 1504, Gonfalonier Piero Soderini presented the emerging Florentine artist with a proposal for a second statue on behalf of Florence’s government: a statue of Hercules to stand alongside the David at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. Michelangelo readily accepted, however the commission never came to be; what remains of Michelangelo’s vision for the Herculean pendant now resides in the Casa Buonarroti Museum of Florence: a rough terracotta model of Hercules and Cacus. Upon review of the scholarship documenting Michelangelo’s unrealized Hercules as well as his David, an intriguing pattern can be observed …

“You Are The Potter I Am The Clay” … Tracing Egyptian Creation, Cult, And Ritual Power Motifs In The Pentateuch., Christopher Jenkins

Student Scholar Symposium

This paper explores the profound influence of Ancient Egyptian culture on the Pentateuch. It challenges the traditional Documentary Hypothesis, which dates the Pentateuch to the Persian and Hellenistic periods, by presenting evidence that many biblical narratives, themes, and motifs are rooted in the cultural and religious milieu of Ancient Egypt, that could not be older than the 1st Millennium B.C.E. The study highlights parallels between the creation narratives in Genesis and Egyptian cosmogonies, such as the concept of primordial watery chaos and the emergence of order through divine command. It also examines the presence of Egyptian religious practices and deities …

Animal Man: Morrison's Reflection On The Author, Ellie Harwood

Student Scholar Symposium

Grant Morrison’s Animal Man debuted in DC Comics in 1988. For seven years as its author, Morrison explored themes of animal rights, conservationism, postmodernism, existentialism, and even free will all through their careful deconstruction of the superhero genre. In “Animal Man: Morrison’s Reflection on the author”, Ellie Harwood analyzes major portions of Morrison’s comic to identify their commentary on the relationship between people, animals, and fictional characters, and the moral ramifications of those relationships. Harwood achieves this through identifying the similarities between how Morrison portrays animals in the comic, as well as how they portray their own characters on a …

Midwestern Landscapes, Immigrant Hands: Swedish Artists And The Regionalist Movement, Grace Finney

Celebration of Learning

The Regionalist movement in American art attempted to define an authentic national identity through depictions of the American landscape, rural life, and working-class values and communities. From the mid-19th to early 20th century, over a million Swedes immigrated to the United States, many of whom settled in the Midwest, a region frequently depicted by Regionalist artists. Swedish immigrant artists captured the beauty of the same landscapes, portrayed similar rural values, and even created public art, all of which are defining elements of the Regionalist movement. Their artistic expressions align with the themes of Regionalism, yet they remain absent from the …

Mālama I Ka LoʻI Kalo: Kānaka HawaiʻI Health And Wellbeing Within The Continental U.S. Hawaiian Diaspora, Isabel Kanoelani Handa

Research Symposium

Among diasporic Kānaka Hawaiʻi born and raised in the continental United States, many experience isolation and imposter syndrome about Hawaiian heritage, due to a lack of accessibility to traditional practices, cultural education and ways of knowing; and isolation from the Hawaiian community. While not unique to Diasporic Kānaka Hawaiʻi, many of these issues occur more prominently as a result of migration away from familial, cultural, spiritual, and educational support networks, and increased proximity to U.S. settler culture. In the Hawaiian health and wellbeing model titled, The Ahupuaʻa Model (Daniels et al. 2022), these support networks are supposed to serve as …

The Horror Of Memory In The Southern Gothic, Caelainn Robertson

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Scenes of expansive cotton fields and rotting Manor houses lined by moss covered oaks where strange fruit once hung induce an acute sense of horror from an audience familiar with these relics. The genre of “Southern Gothic” spans literature, film and music and is built on themes of cultural repression in the Southern United States. This tradition explores fears rooted in lingering memories of human enslavement and patriarchal domination. In a culture marked by racial violence and class oppression, evil is, often, identifiable by markers of wealth and white skin. Historical memories only exacerbate suffering. Many contemporary works use the …

Art For All: Art Exhibition Programming For Visitors With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Micaela Shackleford

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

As the art world strives to invite more of the general population into a more reachable experience of art, it is imperative to include the disabled population in that invitation. Given the numerous benefits of participation in art-centered activities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), it is necessary for centers for the arts to create programming that makes their services more accessible and engaging for disabled individuals. While organizations have made efforts to elevate the work of disabled artists, there has been a less consistent movement toward more accessible art museum programs. A key aspect of encouraging engagement …

Tile In Time: The Study Of Interiors Through Art, Lauren Nielsen

Student Research Symposium

Lauren is a senior in the Interior Architecture and Design program at Utah State University. Her design philosophy centers around storytelling—she believes that great design not only transforms spaces but also tells meaningful stories. When she graduates, Lauren hopes to work in a historic preservation capacity. This projects draws inspiration from the past as we step into the future.

Removing The Veil: An Audiovisual Exploration Of Medieval Jewish Art, Ray Kaplan

Student Research Symposium

• Purpose: analyze the harmful narratives created by antisemitic art, uplift Jewish Medieval artwork instead
• In-progress URCO, to be done at the end of April
• Ultimate product: video essay
• Project delayed due to evolution of original concept
• Where it's at now

A Canvas Decolonized: An Exploration Of Haiti’S Colonial History Through Haitian Artists Philemon Obin, Jean Appolon, Sheilby Mecena, Flex Morisseau–Leroy, And Claes Gabriel, Dominique Dempsey

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

A Canvas Decolonized examines the complex realities faced by Haiti through the lens of its vibrant artistic heritage, highlighting the role of art in interpreting, preserving, and challenging narratives about the nation's history and identity. By exploring the works of Haitian muralists, photographers, painters, and poets including Jean Appolon, Flex Morisseau Leroy, Claes Gabriel, and Edwidge Danticat this study illuminates how these artists engage with themes of colonization, immigration, generational trauma, and cultural displacement. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Frantz Fanon and Benedict Anderson, the paper argues that Haitian art provides a powerful medium to analyze and contextualize the …

Thor: An Evolution, Regan Cerlanek, Rachael Vause

Symposium of Student Scholars

Mythology today serves as a vehicle for storytelling, just as it did for ancient societies. These sacred tales continue to provide role models, express the core values of their respective cultures, answer timeless questions and serve as a moral guide for each generation. Myths are rewritten and retold time and time again, evolving to encapsulate modern beliefs, but often still staying true to their core. Many myths have made their way into popular culture and the heroes in these tales of old become icons, fan-favorites, and household names; namely, Thor the God of Thunder. This study explores and compares the …

Movement And Mastery: The Artistic Evolution Of Artemisia Gentileschi, 1613-1640, Molly E. Russom

Capstone Showcase

This thesis examines the artistic evolution of Artemisia Gentileschi between 1613 and 1640, focusing on how her extensive travels shaped the development of her style, subject matter, and professional identity. While Artemisia’s work is frequently interpreted through a biographical or feminist lens, this study emphasizes her artistic agency and technical mastery by situating her paintings within the distinct artistic environments of Florence, Rome, and Venice. Through visual and contextual analysis of her key works—Penitent Magdalene, Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, and Corisca and the Satyr—this paper demonstrates Artemisia’s evolving use of …

Ultrabaroque Grandeur: Examining The Churrigueresque In Spanish Architecture From The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries, Sarah Staeben

Capstone Showcase

Following the Protestant Reformation, Spain was in a unique position compared to the rest of Europe. The importance of Catholicism was intrinsic to Spanish society by this point, as it was under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, aptly dubbed the Catholic Monarchs, that the Christians reconquered the Iberian peninsula in 1492, after an eight century rule by Arab-Muslims. In the centuries that followed, Spanish architecture reached new levels of grandeur in the wake of reformed Catholic doctrine. Following the motto “docere, delectare, movere”(to teach, to delight, to move), architects were urged to convey the Church’s power and garner new supporters. …

Mocking The Malicious: Investigating John Heartfield’S Anti-Nazi Photomontages, Abigail J. Emory

Capstone Showcase

In this paper, I will discuss John Heartfield’s Dada infused photomontages, which he made in the 1930s following the rise of Adolf Hitler. During their ascension to power the Nazi regime used propaganda to glorify Hitler. The Nazi party also used a visual campaign to attack their enemies and people they deemed “inferior.” Throughout this time of media poisoning, John Heartfield created his photomontages that attacked everything the Nazis stood for. His anti-Nazi works for the Communist magazine Arbeiter Illustriere Zeitung (AIZ), covered a variety of angles including mocking Hitler as a person, pointing out the party’s greed, and exposing …

Human Remains In Now-Extreme Cave Settings: Exploring Ancient Funerary Practices, Andrea Demjén, Florin Gogaltan, Szilárd Gall, Călin Ghemiș, Viorel Traian Lascu, Bogdan Petroniu Onac, Ioana Nicoleta Meleg

FRONTIERS UNBOUND: Exploring Extreme Environments

No abstract provided.

Forbidden Fruit: Mary Cassatt’S Mural Of “Modern Woman” At The World’S Columbian Exposition, Chicago 1893, Tricia Cusack

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

This paper considers a large mural of “The Modern Woman” painted in France by the American artist Mary Cassatt for the Woman’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. It focuses in particular on the large central panel of the mural titled Young Women Plucking the Fruits of Knowledge or Science that depicts women and girls apple-picking. Cassatt’s mural drew on various traditions and myths. Apple harvesting was a common sight in America. Cassatt’s title though points to the story of Eve and forbidden fruit, in which Eve seeks knowledge, but is severely punished for it. Cassatt …

The Art World Of Isabella Gardner And Fenway Court, Ivy Kolkana

Symposium of Student Scholars

"The Art World of Isabella Gardner and Fenway Court" presents a comprehensive examination of the influential cultural milieu created by Isabella Stewart Gardner, focusing on the inception and evolution of Fenway Court, now the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This paper delved into the intricate tapestry of Gardner's relationships with prominent artists such as John Singer Sargent, Anders Leonard Zorn, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Denis Bunker, and several other female artists, illuminating her pivotal role as a patron and tastemaker in the late 19th and early 20th century America.

Beginning with the genesis of the museum, the paper traces Gardner's vision …

“When White Men And Indians United Shall Praise:” Indigenous Inclusion In The Hartford Music Company, Savannah N. Skaggs

ATU Scholars Symposium

The Hartford Music Company and Institute of Hartford, Arkansas has attracted increasing academic interest, particularly within the last twenty years. This southern gospel music publishing company and singing school based in southern Sebastian County published a collection of shape note hymnals which boasted some of the genre’s most prolific literature. Though a growing number of Arkansans are learning that these gospel staples came from their own hill country, many do not realize that several of these songs were premiered by or recorded by Indigenous people. While this may not initially seem particularly impactful, this genre developed its own distinct identity …

Chateaus Of France: A Study Of Historic Architecture, Kameron Mabbutt

Student Research Symposium

This research project delves into the realm of historical architecture, focusing specifically on the opulent and elegant French Chateau style. The primary aim of this study is to engage in the practice of recreating historically accurate architecture and designs from the French Chateau era, spanning from the Renaissance to the 18th century. Through this endeavor, the project seeks to gain a deeper understanding of period-specific architectural elements that defined the aesthetic of this iconic style.

The research methodology involves a comprehensive examination of archival materials, historical documents, and scholarly publications related to French Chateau architecture. Additionally, hands-on exploration and experimentation …

Artistic Identities In Japan And The United States In The 19th-20th Centuries, Mutsumi Yuki

2024 Student Academic Showcase

This project explores artistic identities in Japan and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. The main foci of this study are motifs and methodologies seen in paintings. In the 1800s, both countries transitioned to open their gates to the world, which greatly influenced their respective artistic cultures. Around this time, Japan continued to preserve its traditional techniques while actively adopting and trading styles and artifacts internationally. Meanwhile, in the United States, American realism and landscape paintings were established and advanced by paying homage to the natural environment of the country. My comparative study aims to deepen our …

Satsuma Ceramics And The Importance Of Export Craft In Japan, Avery Keys

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Japanese Satsuma ware ceramics from the Meiji Period are an example of how artisans appeal to their buyers' preferences. Developed as a means to establish Japan as a contender within the global art scene, Satsuma ceramics was quickly picked up as a favorite by collectors in the West. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Westerners became obsessed with Japanese art after being exposed to exhibitions at World Fairs. The Japanese government took note of this and promoted the production of ceramic workshops specializing in Satsuma ware. Scholars often discuss whether this hindered the opportunity for artisans to work within …

Centuripe Ceramic Workshops And Their Distinct Funerary Vases, Avery Keys

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Ancient pottery from Centuripe, Sicily made during the Hellenistic period is an outlier when compared to most other red-figure, black slipped ceramics from Magna Graecia. Most Southern Italian and Sicilian vases have a distinct ornate style to them that was not a long lasting design choice in other Greek ceramic workshops. Funerary vases excavated in Centuripe's tombs provide a large collection of elaborate, decorative pottery that is not replicated anywhere else. Centuripean pottery was tempera painted with bright polychromatic colors. This unique quality of the ceramic ware has led scholars to focus on the color palette, the painted subject matters, …