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About the department

Department of Art

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.

Projected artwork in a darkened gallery space

Sopheak Sam (M.F.A. ’25) presents work for a student group show in Olive Tjaden Gallery.

Degree Programs

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–Aug 27

    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.

    Exhibition

  • Aerial view of campus buildings

    Aug 13–Dec 10

    Graduate Admissions Fall 2026 Events

    Join AAP Graduate Admissions this fall through virtual information sessions and in-person recruitment fairs designed to introduce prospective students to master’s programs offered at AAP.

    Admissions

  • A poster with a blue background.

    Aug 17–27

    Isabelle Jung and Unayzah Afzal: Unfettered

    View an exhibition by two B.F.A. seniors that explores ideation through dreams, journaling, and spontaneity.

    Exhibition

  • White text on a blue background

    Aug 17–27

    Laura Robert: PLAY PLAY

    View an exhibition by Laura Robert, a School of Continuing Education student, that explores what works for her as an artist and represents her consistent artistic voice.

    Exhibition

  • Aug 31–Sep 10

    Yanni Zhong and Ruotong (Olivia) Wu: Growing Pain

    View an exhibition by two B.F.A. students that explores the closely intertwined themes of growth and pain, ultimately seeking a space for emotional autonomy and feeling.

    Exhibition

  • Folded fabric is stacked between the ceiling and a metal electrical box.

    Aug 31–Sep 17

    Lilian Shtereva: taskscapes

    Experience a constantly changing exhibit tackling a dwelling perspective through the act of vivification.

    Exhibition

  • 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.

    Admissions

Student Experience

  • student developing an image at a work station
  • book and papers on a desk
  • student examining objects on a pink-lit gallery floor
  • student sketching in charcoal on a gallery wall
  • students putting up work in a bright gallery space

Jason Gama Bezerra De (B.F.A. ’24) working in the alternative processes lab in Tjaden Hall.

Andy Li looking at the work of Hyunjin Park (both M.F.A. ’25), part of the M.F.A. group show over and over, Tjaden Gallery.

Artists Tim Green and Oliver Stern (both B.F.A. ’24) draw on canvas lining the walls of the Olive Tjaden Gallery during a five-day live drawing performance and exhibition titled Cave Painting 2.

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.

Paul Ramírez Jonas, Professor and Chair of the Department of Art

Latest News and Faculty Work

Latest News and Faculty Work

Stories Philosophy and Art Faculty Win Guggenheim Fellowships

A woman with wavy brown hair and a blue geometric pattern shirt, standing in an art studio.

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.

Stories Near Liberty Bell, Public Art Lets Freedom Ring for US at 250

A group of people gathered around a large bell tower.

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 Fabric Artist Alum Creates Visual Poetry Whose Meaning Lingers

Fabric letters hanging from the ceiling with shadows cast on the wall.

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

A black and white art print

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.

Announcements

Aerial view of Sibley Hall and the southern end of Cayuga Lake

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 Prof. Jolene Rickard Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

A woman with straight dark hair and black square glasses.

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

Book cover with view of the back of a person's head and shoulders

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.

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