About the Department
At Cornell, the study of art is an education in creating objects, images, spaces, and experiences that reflect intellectual judgment, philosophical understanding, knowledge of the history and traditions of the visual arts, and ethical principles that engage the often bewildering complexity of contemporary culture.
Sopheak Sam (M.F.A. ’25) presents work for a student group show in Olive Tjaden Gallery.
Degree Programs
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Bachelor of Fine Arts
This curriculum combines the department's intensive studio culture with …
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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts
An intimate and diverse community that supports interdisciplinary and me…
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Master of Fine Arts in Image Text
A low-residency M.F.A. program traversing visual and literary arts...
Upcoming and Ongoing Events
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![A view from inside a gallery with a white wall that has photographs, leading into a center portion of the gallery with structures.]()
Jun 6–Sep 4
AAP Summer Exhibition 2026
Visit AAP this summer for a cross-departmental exhibition featuring student work from the 2025–26 academic year that showcases the college’s creative and critical practices.
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![Aerial view of first-year students and AAP Ambassadors forming AAP on the Arts Quad with Sibley Dome in view.]()
Jun 26–Aug 14
Undergraduate Admissions Summer Events 2026
Register for an in-person information session at Cornell AAP or drop in for a casual conversation with an admissions officer.
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![Aerial view of campus buildings]()
Aug 13–Dec 10
Graduate Admissions Fall 2026 Virtual Events
Join AAP Graduate Admissions this fall for a series of virtual information sessions designed to introduce prospective students to masters programs offered at AAP.
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![Arts Quad]()
Sep 11–Nov 6
Undergraduate Admissions Fall Events 2026
Join us for an in-person admissions information session at Cornell AAP! These sessions will cover our three undergraduate programs, the application process, and admission requirements.
Student Experience
As artist-educators, we assume a unique and critical role in connecting some of the most complex aspects of art practice to pedagogy. We do this, understanding that the next generation of artists live in a world that is both fraught with compounded crises and full of opportunities for engagement, intervention, and for making lasting change.
Latest News and Faculty Work
Latest News and Faculty Work
Stories Philosophy and Art Faculty Win Guggenheim Fellowships
Two Cornell faculty have been awarded Guggenheim Fellowships this year, including Assistant Professor of Art Leeza Meksin, who shares details on her site-specific installations and future plans with the Cornell Chronicle.
Announcements Explore Fall ’26 Classes for Non-Majors at AAP
Expand your disciplinary boundaries and enroll in courses that cultivate connection and catalyze actionable research. Options range from fundamentals to deep dives across architecture, art, city and regional planning, real estate, and design technology.
Stories Fabric Artist Alum Creates Visual Poetry Whose Meaning Lingers
Anna Warfield (B.S. ’17, B.F.A. ’18) speaks with Cornellians about their art installations that combine soft sculpture and poetry to challenge how viewers understand identity and communication.
Exhibition At Sixes and Sevens: Sculpture at the Bundy Modern
Assistant Professor of Art Oscar Rene Cornejo is a featured artist at this group exhibition which highlights site-specific works for the grounds and interior gallery space at the Bundy Modern.
Stories
Near Liberty Bell, Public Art Lets Freedom Ring for US at 250
Professor and Chair of Art Paul Ramírez Jonas’s installation Let Freedom Ring invites visitors to complete the melody of “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee)” and reflect on ideas of freedom in the context of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Stories Prof. Jolene Rickard Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Associate Professor Jolene Rickard (Art, History of Art and Visual Studies, AIIS–American Indian and Indigenous Studies) was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Native American Art Studies Association (NAASA) for her work as “an artist, curator, scholar, and cultural leader.”
Announcements 15 Scientific and Technical Achievements to be Honored with Academy Awards
Jeff Budsberg (B.F.A. ’04, ’07) was part of a team recognized for their contributions to the stylized animation toolset at DreamWorks Animation.
In the Media Run by Artists, Built for Artists: OyG and the Cornell M.F.A.
Art Spiel — Assistant Professor of Art Leeza Meksin speaks to Art Spiel about the works presented by the seven graduating M.F.A. students during their recent exhibition at Ortega y Gasset Projects and why an artist-run gallery is the ideal space for such an exhibition.
Stories Announcing: Love in a Time of Allegory
In his new book, Art faculty Nicholas Muellner looks for ways to move forward in life and creative practice while surrounded by the crises and complexities of our current cultural moment.
Student Work
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![A wood and metal sculpture with silicone chicken skins attached to it.]()
Sabrina Haertig Gonzalez
B.F.A. '22 -
![Installation view of wooden sculptures on cinder blocks.]()
Sopheak Sam
M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts '25 -
![A close up of a projector displaying an image of an abstract artwork.]()
Matéa LeBeau
B.F.A. '22 -
![Exterior of a building illuminated with green and multicolored lights on the building facade.]()
Adam Shulman
B.A./B.F.A. '23 -
![Painting of two people sitting on a red blanket.]()
Kirk Henriques
M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts '21 -
![Painting of an archway covered in flowers that looks out toward a body of water with mountains in the background.]()
Lucy Plowe
B.F.A. '20 -
![Painting of a person with tears in their eyes, looking downward.]()
Savannah Flores
B.F.A. '25 - Keep Browsing
