Study Gallery August 16, 2025___________January 4, 2026 Launched in spring 2025, the museum’s study gallery program transforms the Dorothy Alexander Roush Gallery into an extension of the classroom. University of Georgia faculty from across disciplines select five to seven objects from the museum’s permanent collection to use as study tools for a specific class. These objects remain on view for the entire semester. Students can return to the gallery on their own time for deeper engagement with course content and the selected objects of art, while the general public can gain insight into what’s being taught on campus. This fall, the museum is once again inviting visitors to step inside a university classroom without leaving the gallery floor. Now entering its second semester, the program continues to bridge the gap between academic learning and public engagement. Alexis Gorby, associate curator of academic and campus engagement, marveled at the success of the program. “I loved seeing all the classes come to the museum and use the study gallery,” she said. “It was also nice to hear from the security team that the public was also going into the gallery and enjoyed seeing what the classes were studying. I’m especially excited to put out our small collection of ancient Greek and Roman art and give students the opportunity to experience these objects firsthand.” This fall, three professors are making use of the study gallery. Mark Abbe, associate professor of art history at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, will draw from the museum’s holdings of ancient Greek and Roman art for his large introductory survey class, ARHI 2300/ARHI 2311H: Introduction to Art History: Prehistoric to Renaissance. His specialization in Greek and Roman art guided the selection of objects that will serve as examples of the periods and cultures his students are focusing on. Danielle Raad, assistant professor in the department of history, is incorporating the study gallery into her course HIST 4024/6024: Topics in Museum Studies: Museum
Ethics. Her students will explore how museum practices intersect with broader questions of justice, history and identity. “Museums are complex institutions with collections and histories ranging from the troubling to the empowering,” Raad said. “This course explores the ethical considerations involved in collecting, conserving, displaying and interpreting artwork, material culture, human remains and historic sites to learn from the past and imagine a more ethical future.” Cecilia Herles, assistant director of UGA’s Institute of Women’s Studies, will also take advantage of the study gallery for her course WMST 4010W: Introduction to Feminist Theories. Works by Emma Amos, Faith Ringgold, Joan Snyder, May Stevens and others will serve as prompts to examine themes, frameworks and debates within theories of justice, liberatory practice and care. “Students will analyze philosophical and political issues related to social and environmental justice and the role of art and creativity in shaping understanding and community,” said Herles. “Students will be encouraged to develop a sense of voice and to strengthen their critical thinking skills to analyze different perspectives on notions of gender, race, class and the environment.” The study gallery program provides a unique opportunity for students to move beyond textbooks and lectures, engaging directly with original works of art in an academic setting. At the same time, it invites the community to witness how education comes to life through objects and to take part in that experience. With growing faculty interest and expanding possibilities, the program is shaping up to be a lasting and meaningful part of campus culture. Gorby notes, “I’m excited for the fall and many more semesters to come.” Nancy Ellison (American, born 1936), “Grace Jones, Mexico City,” printed 2022. Black and white photograph. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Gift of the artist. 2023.199. Unidentified maker, enslaved person at or near Midway, Liberty County, Georgia (19th century), quilt, ca. 1830. Cotton, 90 1/2 × 93 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Gift of Lucy Minogue Rowland. 2018.367.
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