Each semester, UGA faculty members will be able to select works that they want to display for their classes to study throughout the semester, with space in the Dorothy Alexander Roush Gallery designated for each of them. Three faculty partners are lined up for this spring, representing a range of disciplines: Dr. Akela Reason, associate professor of history and director of the museum studies certificate program; Dr. Michael Ford, instructor of English; and Dr. Elizabeth Saari Browne, assistant professor of art history. Each of these faculty partners has selected five to seven objects, which they’ll use to support their spring courses in different ways, said Dr. Callan Steinmann, the museum’s head of education and curator of academic and public programs. “Some may use the Study Gallery installations to illustrate general themes of their class; others may use the works as source material for specific class projects or assignments.” The museum’s Shannon and Peter Candler Collection Study Room is already available for faculty to request works for viewing during a single class period, but the study gallery makes these objects available throughout the semester for more in-depth learning. “We’re thrilled that the study gallery will offer students and faculty from diverse departments across campus the opportunity to dig deep into our collection to help advance learning through the study of original works of art,” said Dr. David Odo, the museum’s director. “As a bonus, the study gallery is open to all visitors, so we can all study along with UGA students as they learn from our collections.” Alexis Gorby, associate curator of academic and campus engagement, is excited about the study gallery because it allows students “to come out on the weekend when they might have a homework assignment” or “on their own time” to visit the pieces they are studying. Moreover, the gallery is open not only to students in those classes but also to everyone visiting the museum. This means students can bring friends to show them what they are studying, and visitors can gain insight into what’s happening in UGA classrooms, making the curriculum accessible and interpretable to a broader audience. With the opening of the study gallery, the museum will extend the curriculum beyond the classroom walls and foster inter-class dialogue. “I am excited to see if classes end up in dialogue with each other,” said Gorby. “It’s interesting when you have objects that are not from the same collection next to each other; it might create new ideas and perspectives.” These new ideas and perspectives could encourage students to approach their in-class research in different ways or even connect their learning to a broader context by stepping outside the bounds of their subject. Typically, classes are
Romare Bearden (American, 1911 - 1988), “Mecklenburg County, Lamp at Midnight,” ca. 1979. Mixed-media collage, 17 3/4 × 13 1/2 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Museum purchase with funds provided by the Friends of the Museum on the occasion of the museum’s 50th anniversary. GMOA 1998.21.
designed as distinct entities, but the study gallery aims to break this mold and provide a more comprehensive learning experience. The study gallery redefines the traditional classroom by extending the learning experience to the museum, which students may occasionally visit for class purposes, such as a class trip. Being able to extend the learning experience into the permanent collection galleries allows students who have not visited outside of class time to explore the museum more, developing a deeper connection with objects outside of what they are studying and with the culture of the museum itself. The study gallery will usher in a new era for the muse- um, deepening the engagement between students, UGA faculty and the museum itself by providing a compre- hensive learning experience. This exciting adventure is one the museum eagerly anticipates. Gorby is par- ticularly excited to see “how faculty are really using the collection to teach.” This initiative will strengthen the museum’s role as a dynamic educational resource, fostering collaboration and discovery to benefit both current and future generations of learners.
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