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Bard Graduate Center is an advanced graduate research institute in New York City dedicated to the cultural histories of the material world. Our MA and PhD degree programs, Gallery exhibitions, research initiatives, scholarly publications and public programs explore new ways of thinking about decorative arts, design history, and material culture.

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Applications for our MA program may be submitted until March 1, 2025





About

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).


How long have you worked at Bard Graduate Center?
I celebrated ten years with BGC in March.

What has been your favorite BGC exhibition and why?
It’s hard for me to pick just one. Since I’ve been here, there have been so many great exhibitions. Cloisonné, Hats, and Artek and the Aaltos are all really close to being my favorite.


Can you remember a specific object from each exhibition that really captured your attention?
There were a pair of cloisonné dragons at the entrance to one of the galleries. They looked so regal! And they fit perfectly in the space—almost like they belonged there! I think the items displayed in that exhibition were the most expensive items I’ve seen exhibited at BGC. It was one of the most impressive exhibitions I’ve ever seen in terms of the objects on display.


But a close runner-up was the Hats exhibition by Stephen Jones. It was amazing, with all different types of incredible hats. It was especially interesting to meet Stephen Jones, the designer and creator of many of the hats. The exhibition also recreated his studio in one of the galleries; the installation was quite intricate and it was fascinating to see what kind of tools it takes to make these creations. Two of the hats that stood out to me were Janet Jackson’s military style cap from her Rhythm Nation music video and one of the original Darth Vader helmets.

And then there was Artek and the Aaltos. I’m a huge fan of mid-century modern furniture, as well as a collector. I own one of the Tank chairs, so it was really cool to see the original Tank chair displayed in the gallery. It was also really impressive in a sense that they gave a lot of credit to Aino Aalto who, over the years, wasn’t credited for a lot of the work that she put into the design and creation of the furniture. That was long overdue.