CAA News Today
FAQs for the 2021 Annual Conference
posted by CAA — July 16, 2020
We will update this page frequently. Thanks for your patience and flexibility!
This information is current as of September 10, 2020.
Why are we changing the conference format?
As we announced in our letter to CAA members, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, CAA’s prime consideration for planning the 2021 conference has been the health and safety of our membership and our communities. Even as parts of our world begin to “reopen,” we face many unknowns on what the state of health and safety will be in February.
We had hoped to convene a fully in-person conference in New York this February 10–13, 2021. However, the pandemic and uncertainty of the months ahead—as well as increasing economic pressures on institutions and individuals, leading to diminished funds for professional development and travel—have caused us to rethink our plans.
How did CAA come to this decision and why decide now?
Our decision was informed by a robust response (almost 1,200 replies!) to a survey sent to members in May regarding their ideas about CAA hosting an online conference. Exceptionally useful feedback was provided in terms of what types of activities would be appealing to attend online, the value of in-person gatherings, and what price points seem reasonable. We are building on what you shared with us.
There are many factors in determining the costs and benefits of going online; these are currently being evaluated by CAA staff and will continue to be addressed as we move forward. But making this decision now allows staff and the Annual Conference Committee time to plan for an iteration of the conference that will ensure the core benefits of the event are maintained: opportunities to share new research, listen to esteemed artists, designers, and scholars, and connect with peers.
What will the conference look like?
The program will include conference sessions online. We are also looking at ways to present other conference activities in person, depending on the state of the pandemic in early 2021.
After the Annual Conference Committee selects sessions to be included in the program, we will build a four-day conference with the same basic structure as the usual in-person conference, possibly with fewer sessions per day. We are also considering an extended schedule for sharing virtual sessions; the details of this will be determined in August, after the sessions are selected.
We are currently exploring options for other aspects of the conference (e.g., the Book and Trade Fair, Workshops, poster sessions, receptions) and will know more once the session content is scheduled.
We are taking into account the many concerns members have expressed about virtual presentations, such as sharing scholarship online, the challenges of different time zones, and “Zoom fatigue.”
Lastly, we will be surveying those whose sessions are accepted for the Annual Conference to understand technical and practical preferences for presenting their work so that we can address everyone’s particular needs and concerns.
We thank you for your patience as we address these issues. Please stay tuned for more details.
How has this affected the key dates for the conference?
Our submissions timeline was affected by the spring COVID-19 crisis and pushed back the overall planning process by roughly a month. The updated key dates are posted on the conference website and can be found at the bottom of the proposals page.
When will I know if my proposal has been accepted?
The Annual Conference Committee is currently reviewing the 800-plus proposal submissions and is on schedule to select those that will be included in the conference program. This process will be completed by mid– to late August and members whose submissions have been accepted will be notified.
Can I still submit a proposal/paper?
Yes. While the portal has closed for session submissions for CAA 2021, there are still ways to submit.
- Sessions inviting a call for participation (CFP) will be open from August 12 to September 16, 2020. A list of accepted sessions that are soliciting contributors and their abstracts will be posted at the beginning of August on the CAA website. VISIT HERE for more information. The chairs of accepted sessions that are soliciting contributors will accept proposals directly from submitters by September 23.
- Visit Call for Proposals for posters sessions and Workshops and related deadlines and participation requirements.
How will papers be delivered during CAA2021?
Session presenters will upload their prerecorded presentations, which conference registrants may access online shortly before and through the conference dates. Live Q&A will be scheduled for each session between February 10 and 13, providing the collegial, interactive, and accountable engagement created by attending sessions as a community. Questions about session presentations may be submitted to session chairs after viewing a session in advance of the scheduled live Q&A. Uploaded content will be accessible to registrants for a limited time after the conference dates. We will provide detailed information for presenters and attendees closer to the conference.
I have questions and concerns about presenting virtually and sharing my work. If I’m accepted, what can I do to prepare?
CAA and our technical support team will share guidelines for preparing for virtual sessions, including preconference webinars to walk both presenters and audience members through the technology of participation.
CAA’s Annual Conference Committee, legal counsel, and staff are working on protocols and guidelines regarding best practices to protect the intellectual property of participants. This information will be made available on the CAA website in early fall.
When will the conference website open and registration begin?
The Annual Conference website will go live in November 2020. At that time, you will see the session listings and details on other conference programming. You may also register for the conference at that time.
Will conference registration and fees change?
Registration options and fees will be posted in early November 2020. Information provided by the conference survey will help determine the fee structure.
In order to present at the Annual Conference, you must be a current CAA member and also registered for the conference.
What will be free and open to the public for CAA2021?
Programming by the Services to Artists Committee and the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee will be free and open to the public. A full list of free and open programming will be noted on the Annual Conference website when it opens in November 2020.
HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
For FAQs about Annual Conference Logistics, Submissions, Conference Registration, Membership, and Calls for Participation, VISIT HERE.
STILL HAVE A QUESTION?
We know we may not have answered all of your questions. Please let us know! Email questions to programs@collegeart.org.
We will update this page frequently. Thanks for your patience and flexibility!
An Update on the 2021 Annual Conference
posted by CAA — July 16, 2020
Dear CAA Members,
As you will hear Meme Omogbai, CAA executive director, say time and time again, “Mission first. People always.” So we start this letter with the wish that you are safe, healthy, and finding some time for self-care this summer.
We are writing to share where we are in planning the 109th CAA Annual Conference. We had hoped to celebrate the vast scholarship and practice of CAA members at a fully in-person conference in New York this February 10–13, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of the months ahead—as well as increasing economic pressures on institutions and individuals, leading to diminished funds for professional development and travel—have caused us to rethink our plans.
We are now moving to a conference format that will include session content online. There are many factors in determining the costs and benefits to going online; these are currently being worked on by CAA staff and will continue to be addressed as we move forward. But making this decision now allows staff and the Annual Conference Committee time to plan for an iteration of the conference that will ensure the core benefits of the event are maintained: opportunities to share new research, listen to esteemed artists, designers, and scholars, and connect with peers. We are also looking at ways to present the in-person activities, dependent upon the state of the pandemic in early 2021. Thank you for your patience and flexibility over the next couple of months as the planning continues. We are creating a list to address your frequently asked questions; please email questions to programs@collegeart.org or to us personally.
SEE FAQS FOR 2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Our decision was informed by a robust response (almost 1,200 replies!) to a survey sent to members in May regarding their ideas about CAA hosting an online conference. Exceptionally useful feedback was provided in terms of what types of activities would be appealing to attend online, the value of in-person gatherings, and what price points seem reasonable. We are building on what you shared with us.
The Annual Conference Committee is currently reviewing the 800-plus proposal submissions and is on schedule to select those that will be included in the conference program. Our committees and staff are working hard to create a diverse and inclusive program and one that is broadly accessible.
While this time is filled with uncharted unknowns and anxieties, this is also an opportunity for us to build the organization that we want CAA to be. If you have the ability to give, we ask for your generosity. If you are able to give financially, wonderful—we need that help. Donations are not the only way to participate in our organization, however. We want your energy and your ideas. If you have connections and resources to share, we welcome them. If you know people who could benefit from our community, please spread the word. We are an organization of members. Join us.
CAA is an incredible coalition of individuals and institutions. If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it is that virtual platforms can allow us to communicate broadly and across borders. Difficult conversations can take place and together we can move forward and create an organization that advocates, shares, and brings others along with us.
Sincerely yours,
N. Elizabeth Schlatter
President, CAA
Deputy Director, University of Richmond Museums, Virginia
Meme Omogbai
Executive Director and CEO
The Getty Foundation to Fund the CAA-Getty International Program for a Tenth Year
posted by CAA — June 25, 2020
CAA-Getty Scholars at the 2020 Annual Conference in Chicago. Photo: Stacey Rupolo
The Getty Foundation has awarded CAA a grant to fund the CAA-Getty International Program for a tenth consecutive year. Unlike previous years, the 2021 program will take place virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of bringing international scholars to New York to attend the 2021 Annual Conference. CAA is especially grateful to the Getty Foundation for sustaining its support during these uncertain times, when maintaining contact with our international colleagues is more important than ever. Turning this crisis into an opportunity, the twenty participants in next year’s program will spend the time between now and February exploring the advantages of online technology for enriching scholarly research and building global bonds. Meme Omogbai, CAA’s new executive director, stated “We appreciate not only the Getty Foundation’s ongoing support, but also its faith in the CAA-Getty program to pursue scholarly excellence and innovation in an acutely challenging time. We believe the participants in this program will help lead the way for CAA’s future growth in international programs and membership.”
Over the coming months, the participants—all alumni of the program—will work in small online groups to workshop their conference papers, originally planned to be presented in person at the 2021 Annual Conference. What can be gained by geographically-distanced scholars collaborating regularly over the next six months, discussing and critiquing each other’s work? How will ideas evolve and change from early conversations to completed presentations?
The 2021 CAA-Getty program participants will also explore opportunities provided by online exchanges to produce resource materials for other scholars. Using recordings of the online discussions and the conference presentations, the group will initiate a virtual archive containing video and text documentation of the year’s work, including podcasts, bibliographies, and references related to the themes of the conference sessions. Although this virtual program breaks with the patterns established by the first nine years of the program, its forward-looking experiment in online scholarship is a fitting way to celebrate the tenth anniversary of a program that promises new models for robust scholarship in the post-COVID world.
“We applaud CAA for a taking a bold step to reimagine the international program online,” says Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation. “This thoughtful approach to digital engagement will teach us all a great deal about how to maintain international perspectives and connections in this new post-pandemic reality.”
The CAA-Getty International Program was established in 2011-12 to increase international participation in CAA and the CAA Annual Conference. The program fosters collaborations between North American art historians and curators and their international colleagues and introduces visual arts professionals to the unique environments and contexts of practices in different countries. Since the CAA-Getty International Program began, it has brought 135 first-time attendees from 49 countries to CAA’s Annual Conference. Historically, the majority of international registrants at the conference have come from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Western European countries. The CAA-Getty International Program has greatly diversified attendance, adding scholars from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and South America. The majority of the participants teach art history, visual studies, art theory, or architectural history at the university level; others are museum curators and researchers.
About the Getty Foundation
The Getty Foundation fulfills the philanthropic mission of the Getty Trust by supporting individuals and institutions committed to advancing the greater understanding and preservation of the visual arts in Los Angeles and throughout the world. Through strategic grant initiatives, it strengthens art history as a global discipline, promotes the interdisciplinary practice of conservation, increases access to museum and archival collections, and develops current and future leaders in the visual arts. It carries out its work in collaboration with the other Getty Programs to ensure that they individually and collectively achieve maximum effect.
2021 CAA-Getty International Program Participants
Danielle Becker, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Federico Freschi, Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand
Georgina Gluzman, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Richard Gregor, Trnava University, Slovenia
Alison Kearney, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Sandra Krizic Roban, Institute of Art History, Croatia
Peju Layiwola, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Daniela Lucena, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Priya Maholay-Jaradi, National University of Singapore
Ana Mannarino, Federal University of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Parul Mukherji, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Cristian Nae, George Enescu National University of Arts, Romania
Marton Orosz, Museum of Fine Arts, Hungary
Ceren Ozpinar, University of Brighton, United Kingdom
Dasha Panaiotti, Hermitage Museum, Russia
Valeria Paz Moscoso, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, Bolivia
Judy Peter, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Horacio Ramos Cerna, City University of New York
Nora Veszpremi, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
Giuliana Vidarte, Pontifical Catholic University, Peru
Serve on a CAA Jury and Provide Support to the Field
posted by CAA — June 24, 2020
Former CAA Interim Director David Raizman and Denise Murrell, who received the Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for Smaller Museums, Libraries, Collections, and Exhibitions for her catalog Posing Modernity: The Black Model From Manet and Matisse to Today, at the 2020 Annual Conference in Chicago. Photo: Stacey Rupolo
CAA invites nominations and self-nominations for individuals to serve on our Awards for Distinction, Publication Grant, Fellowship, and Travel Grant juries. Terms begin August 2020.
Candidates must possess expertise appropriate to the jury’s work and be current CAA members. They should not hold a position on a CAA committee or editorial board beyond May 31, 2020. CAA’s president and vice president for committees appoint jury members for service.
Awards for Distinction Juries
CAA has vacancies in ten of the fourteen juries for the annual Awards for Distinction for three years (2020–23). Terms begin in August 2020; award years are 2021–23.
- Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for museum scholarship in the history of art/Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for Smaller Museums, Libraries, Collections, and Exhibitions for museum scholarship in the history of art published by smaller institutions: two vacancies
- Frank Jewett Mather Award for art criticism: two vacancies
- Charles Rufus Morey Book Award for non-catalogue books in the history of art: one vacancy
- Arthur Kingsley Porter Prize for articles written by younger scholars in The Art Bulletin: one vacancy
- Artist Award for Distinguished Body of Work: two vacancies
- Distinguished Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement: one vacancy
- Distinguished Feminist Awards for Scholars and Artists: one vacancy
- Distinguished Teaching of Art History Award: one vacancy
- Excellence in Diversity Award: four vacancies
Publication Grant Juries
CAA has vacancies on our Millard Meiss Publication Fund grant jury for four years (2020–24) and the Terra Foundation for American Art Publication Grant jury for one year (2020-21).
- Millard Meiss Publication Fund: three vacancies
- Terra Foundation for American Art Publication Grant: one vacancy
Professional Development Fellowship Juries
CAA has vacancies on our Professional Development Fellowship juries for three years (2020–23). Terms begin August 2020.
- Professional Development Fellowship in Visual Arts: three vacancies
- Professional Development Fellowship in Art History: two vacancies
Travel Grant Juries
CAA has vacancies on our Art History Fund for Travel to Special Exhibitions jury for three years (2020–23). Terms begin August 2020.
- Art History Fund for Travel to Special Exhibitions: two vacancies
HOW TO APPLY
Nominations and self-nominations should include a brief statement (no more than 150 words) outlining the individual’s qualifications and experience and a CV (an abbreviated CV no more than two pages may be submitted). Please send all materials by email to Cali Buckley (cbuckley@collegeart.org), CAA grants and special programs manager; submissions must be sent as Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF attachments.
For questions about jury service and responsibilities, contact Tiffany Dugan (tdugan@collegeart.org), CAA director of programs and publications.
Deadline: July 31, 2020
CAA-Getty International Program at CAA 2020
posted by CAA — March 17, 2020
2020 CAA-Getty International Program Participants, photo by Stacey Rupolo.
Front row, left-right: Julia Waite (New Zealand), Saurabh Tewari (India), Daria Jaremtchuk (Brazil), Ali Mahfouz (Egypt), Akande Abiodun (Nigeria), Aleksandra Paradowska (Poland), Iro Katsaridou (Greece), Priya Maholay-Jaradi (Singapore), Giuliana Vidarte (Peru); Back row, left-right: Valeria PazMoscoso (Bolivia), Nora Veszpremi (Hungary/UK), Eiman Elgibreen (Saudi Arabia), Pedith Chan (Hong Kong), Mariana Levytska (Ukraine), Daniela Lucena (Argentina), Katarzyna Cytlak (Poland), Daria Panaiotti (Russia), Jean-Arsène Yao (Côte d’Ivoire), Irene Bronner (South Africa); Not pictured: Ganiyu Jimoh (Nigeria)
One for the Scrapbook! The 2020 CAA-Getty International Program participants—twenty scholars from nineteen countries—arrived in Chicago on the Sunday before the conference to get ready for a busy week of meetings, sessions, and one-on-one conversations. With this year’s participants, the program now includes 135 scholars from 48 countries, adding for the first time representatives from Bolivia, Singapore, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The preconference colloquium on February 11 was held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and featured papers on indigenous artists and contemporary art, the politics of cultural heritage, new subjects for art history, artistic exiles, and critical pedagogies.
Eleven US-based CAA members served as hosts for the international visitors, introducing them to scholars in their fields, taking them to Chicago-area museums, and attending their preconference colloquium.
Toward the end of the week, five alumni added their voices to the annual Global Conversation session, this year addressing Art History and the Politics of Vision.
As Julia Waite, from New Zealand, summarized the week: “Attending the CAA conference was hugely stimulating, and I left feeling excited about the future of art history. It reminded me of the strengths of deep art historical research in providing a more complex and nuanced understanding of art and society.”
Are You in a CAA Photo? Let Us Know
posted by CAA — February 27, 2020
Lynne Allen and Melissa Potter at the 2020 Annual Conference in Chicago. Photo: Stacey Rupolo
Each year we welcome thousands of CAA members, colleagues, and friends to our Annual Conference. It is an exciting time of year with an incredible amount of activity.
As a membership organization, it is important to us to include names wherever possible. While we try to identify those in conference photographs by badge, event, or word-of-mouth and include that information in the caption, we are not always able to do so. (We also err on the side of caution, in case we get it wrong!)
If you see yourself in a CAA photo and would like to be identified in the future, we will do our best to make it happen. Please let Alison Chang, director of communications, marketing, and membership, know at: achang@collegeart.org
Thank you!
Meet the Winner of a Free Registration for CAA 2021
posted by CAA — February 27, 2020
Jevi is the winner of a free CAA 2021 registration after becoming a member onsite at the 2020 Annual Conference at the CAA booth in the Book and Trade Fair.
She was first introduced to the CAA through the Judson-Morrissey Excellence in New Media Award, granted by the New Media Caucus. Congrats, Jevi!
Learn more about her work:
Jevi is an Honours Business Informatics B.ASc. McMaster University graduate, and studied Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (PCert) at MIT. She has worked in IT over the years as an Analyst, an Ethical Hacker, Software Programmer, and as a Research Assistant at OCAD University and University of Toronto. Hailed from a family of scribophiles, she enjoys photography, poetry and prose, and completed a study of Art & Design at the GBC School of Design graduating with honours, and Digital Media at OCAD University. She is a hobbyist green-thumb and fishkeeper, and has a three-canine RAID (Redundant Assemblage of Independent Dogs) named Gigabyte, Terabyte, and Kilobyte, who occasionally go urban-exploring with her. Jevi is currently pursuing an MFA in Digital Futures at OCAD University, where she serves on the Senate, and as a member of the Senate Executive Committee, Senate Graduate Studies Committee, Senate Student Appeals Committee and Research Committee.
CAA Invites Proposals Related to Climate Crisis at 2021 Annual Conference
posted by CAA — February 26, 2020
Fridays For Future protest in Toronto, Canada. Photo: Jasmin Sessler
As part of the 2021 Annual Conference, CAA seeks to offer a selection of sessions, papers, speakers, and related programming on the topic of Climate Crisis. Including but going beyond eco-art and eco-criticism, and with climate justice and intersectional thinking as priorities, panels and presentations can address ecology as a matter of the content of artworks, but also, and pressingly, how we—artists, designers, and art historians, institutional stakeholders and independent practitioners, and members of allied fields—can and should change our professional practices in light of the crisis.
We invite discussions of creative interventions into the status quo, up to and including a serious discussion of ways of reducing the carbon footprint of the annual conference itself, while preserving and enhancing access. Practices and themes may include remediation and amelioration, thematic representation and critique, the ramifications of change for institutions and collections, issues of preservation, and the nature of research. We invite radical and practical proposals. The conference content will stress a broad and inclusive conversation on climate crisis impact through the lens of age; gender; nationality; race; religion; and socioeconomic status among others.
Thank You for CAA 2020! What Did You Think?
posted by CAA — February 17, 2020
See more highlights @caavisual.
Thank you to the thousands of participants who contributed to the 108th Annual Conference! You can see highlights on our Twitter and Instagram feeds and via the #CAA2020 hashtag.
If you attended CAA 2020, we want to hear from you. Let us know what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d like to see next year in our online survey. All survey respondents are eligible to be entered into a drawing for a free year-long membership.
We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you next year in New York, February 10-13, 2021! The submissions portal for CAA 2021 opens March 1.
Meet the 2019 Professional Development Fellows
posted by CAA — February 14, 2020
CAA is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Professional Development Fellowships. The recipient of the $10,000 fellowship in art history is Ace Lehner, University of California, Santa Cruz. The recipient of the $10,000 fellowship in visual art is Leah Schretenthaler, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The honorable mention for art history goes to Anne Marie Butler, Kalamazoo College, and the honorable mention in visual art is awarded to Madelaine Corbin, Cranbrook Academy of Art. All fellows and honorable mentions receive a complimentary one-year CAA membership and registration for the 2020 Annual Conference in Chicago.
2019 Professional Development Fellowship in Art History
Ace Lehner, University of California, Santa Cruz
Ace Lehner is an interdisciplinary scholar and artist specializing in critical engagement with identity and representation; history, theory, and criticism of contemporary art; photography theory; and queer and trans theory. Lehner’s artistic practice often embraces collaboration and primarily utilizes photography and video to mine the complex relation between representations and the constitution of identities. Lehner was recently a Presidents’ Dissertation-Year Fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where they are completing their dissertation, ”Trans Representations: Contemporary Art Photography and Non-Binary Visual Theory,” and earning their PhD.
Lehner has chaired panels on trans representations at the College Art Association conference has spoken about their research and artistic practice at the International Center of Photography (New York, NY) and has been published in Art Journal, REFRACT, The Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art, The Journal on Images and Culture, and elsewhere. Lehner’s artwork has been exhibited internationally and will be featured in a solo exhibition at Practice Gallery in Philadelphia in June 2020. Lehner currently serves as the editor of the forthcoming book From Self-Portrait to Selfie: Contemporary Art and Self-Representation in the Social Media Age published by MDPI Books and works in the Education Department at the Dia Foundation and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, NY, where they are currently piloting the museums’ first-ever queer tour programs. Lehner holds an MFA/MA in Fine Art/Visual and Critical Studies from California College of the Arts. Lehner is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Honorable Mention in Art History
Anne Marie Butler, Kalamazoo College
Anne Marie Butler is Assistant Professor of Art History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI. Her research areas are global contemporary art, Middle East North Africa studies, gender and sexuality studies, and queer theory. Her scholarship considers issues of gender, sexuality, and queerness within the parameters of the nation-state, and the imbrication of state authority within social constructs. She is currently working on a book project about surrealism in Tunisia, in which she considers emerging and ongoing questions about how Tunisian artists critique embedded systems of power by examining surrealism as a methodology by which Tunisian women artists negotiate the discordant demands of the state apparatus and social norms. Additional scholarship in progress on contemporary Tunisian visual art addresses the overlap of surrealism and queerness, sexuality in surrealism, contemporary performance art, and negotiations of repression. She is also an activist who has worked in migrant justice and local LGBTQ history. In 2018, she founded the Middle East Studies Association Queer Studies Interest Group.
Dr. Butler received her MA from New York University and her PhD from the University at Buffalo. Her dissertation, “Unintelligible Bodies: Surrealism and Queerness in Contemporary Tunisian Women’s Art” (2019), revealed that many Tunisian women artists imagine queer bodies, bodily configurations, and bodily relationships that rebuke normative conceptualizations of the body, and argued that surrealism and queerness are strategies by which Tunisian women artists launch critiques of repressive systems that remain embedded within the Tunisian state and society.
2019 Professional Development Fellowship in the Visual Arts
Leah Schretenthaler, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Leah Schretenthaler was born and raised in Hawaii. After relocating to the mainland, Hawaii continues to be a point of reference for her research and studio practice. Her work uses traditional photography, laser etching, and metal casting to create images. Through her art practice, her research presents a connection between land, material, and performance. Her ongoing series, The Invasive Species of the Built Environment, focuses on the controversial builds of her home state.
Schretenthaler completed her BFA degree from the University of South Dakota and holds a master’s degree in art education from Boston University. She is currently an MFA candidate. Recently she has been named one of LensCulture’s Emerging Talents of 2018 and was awarded second place in the Sony World Photography Awards. In 2019, she was awarded the Rhonda Wilson Award through FRESH2019 at the Klompching Gallery. In the of fall 2019 she received the Film Photo Award. Her work has been displayed nationally and internationally including Kahilu Theater (Waimea, HI), Washington Pavilion (Sioux Falls, SD), Manifest (Cincinnati, OH), The Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts (Providence, RI), Center for Fine Art Photography (Fort Collins, CO), and SOHO Gallery (New York, NY), as well as the Somerset House (London).
Honorable Mention in Visual Art
Madelaine Corbin, Cranbrook Academy of Art
Madelaine Corbin is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Detroit, Michigan. She received her BFA from Oregon State University where she was an artist-in-residence in the departments of Inorganic Chemistry and Microbiology. Recent awards include the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Stuart Thompson Fellowship, the President’s Award in Sustainability bestowed by Cranbrook Academy of Art, and the Sponenburgh Travel Award granted by Oregon State University.
Corbin’s practice is an archaeological journey to unearth the space between home and land, human and non-human, wild and managed landscapes, and the connection to one another through geographic distance. A fleck of ash, drop of blue, grain of salt, speck of dust, and particle of soil—a constellation of meaning is composed from these elements. Corbin’s practice earnestly endeavors to listen to, translate, and contextualize the conversation between the vibrancy of matter sensed by our fingertips and the expansive questions cultivated by the equally vast universe around. Spaces that invite wonder and interdisciplinary research coalesce to question the quotidian materials accepted as ‘normal’ when few things are actually so. Dirt, salt, and dust are not so simple. Interminable investigations into subterranean histories, values, politics, sciences, fictions, and natural phenomena re-evaluate the inherent meanings embedded in matter. Using her own relationship to ecology rooted in a valley town in Oregon as a starting point, Corbin articulates the complexity and range of relationships to the land beneath our feet, that which once was, and that which will never be.
About the Professional Development Fellowship
CAA’s Professional Development Fellowship program supports promising artists and art historians who are enrolled in MFA and PhD programs nationwide. Awards are intended to help them with various aspects of their work, whether for job-search expenses or purchasing materials for the studio. CAA believes a grant of this kind, without contingencies, can best facilitate the transition between graduate studies and professional careers. The program is open to all eligible graduate students in the visual arts and art history. Applications for the 2021 fellowship cycle will open in the late spring. Learn more.