Bard Graduate Center is devoted to the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through research, advanced degrees, exhibitions, publications, and events.

Bard Graduate Center advances the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through its object-centered approach to teaching, research, exhibitions, publications, and events.

At BGC, we study the human past and present through their material expressions. We focus on objects and other material forms—from those valued for their aesthetic elements to the ordinary things used in everyday life.

Our accomplished interdisciplinary faculty inspires and prepares students in our MA and PhD programs for successful careers in academia, museums, and the private sector. We bring equal intellectual rigor to our acclaimed exhibitions, award-winning catalogues and scholarly publications, and innovative public programs, and we view all of these integrated elements as vital to our curriculum.

BGC’s campus comprises a state-of-the-art academic programs building at 38 West 86th Street, a gallery at 18 West 86th Street, and a residence hall at 410 West 58th Street. A new collection study center will open at 8 West 86th Street in 2026.

Founded by Dr. Susan Weber in 1993, Bard Graduate Center has become the preeminent institute for academic research and exhibition of decorative arts, design history, and material culture. BGC is an accredited unit of Bard College and a member of the Association of Research Institutes in Art History (ARIAH).

Susan Weber. Photo by Da Ping Luo.

Dear Friends,

Happy Spring! Here on 86th Street, our students are preparing for their final exams. Second-year MAs will present their qualifying papers on May 23, the final hurdle before commencement. Students and faculty members alike are looking forward to summer travel and research.

Sonia Delaunay: Living Art is on view in our gallery until July 7. I am very proud of this beautiful exhibition curated by Laura Microulis (MA ’97, PhD ’16) and Waleria Dorogova. The show is a New York Times Critic’s Pick. It has garnered additional rave reviews in the New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, Apollo magazine, and Financial Times, and it was the subject of a video tour produced by NYC-ARTS.

BGC’s Department of Public Humanities + Research is always busy, and in this issue, I invite you to learn more about how a residency by Jenny Tiramani of the School of Historical Dress engaged the entire BGC community. Please check out the wonderful public events coming up, including three lectures on Jewish material culture, supported by the Leon Levy Foundation.

This edition of the newsletter also features a look at some of the wonderful opportunities BGC’s Department of Research Collections has scheduled for our students to visit other libraries and archives around the city; first-year MA Nishtha Dani’s reflection on a recent field trip to BKLYN Clay; an introduction to Lindsay Smilow, BGC’s new chief advancement officer; an update on our Pratt Fellows in Library Studies and Graphic Design; and as always, news of our faculty and alumni’s endeavors and achievements.

Looking ahead, I’m thrilled to announce BGC’s fall 2024 exhibition, Sèvres Extraordinaire! Sculpture from 1740 until Today. I have the pleasure of curating it with Charlotte Vignon, Tamara Préaud, and Soazig Guilmin, all of whom have played important roles at Sèvres. It is an institution that has continually pushed the boundaries of ceramic artistry by creating new forms and designs that respond to the fashions of the times, and I think visitors to the exhibition will be delighted to learn about the manufactory’s collaborations with leading artists, sculptors, designers, and architects throughout its history.

I want to extend my gratitude to the many generous supporters who attended Bard Graduate Center’s annual Iris Awards luncheon, which took place on April 3. Thanks to their contributions, we exceeded this year’s ambitious goal of $225,000 in scholarship funds for BGC students, while celebrating the achievements of some of the most brilliant and dedicated professionals in our field of decorative arts, design history, and material culture. Congratulations to Marilyn Friedland, Dr. Wayne Modest, Diana Scarisbrick, and Eli Wilner on their awards.

Before I close, I want to remember the wonderful antiques dealer, Mindy Papp. She supported BGC from its inception, and her commitment to the institution only grew over the years. She was a dear friend to BGC, and we will miss her.

Hoping to see you all on 86th Street very soon.

Susan Weber
Founder and Director