About

Providing a unique interdisciplinary approach bridging art history, creation, and curatorial practice, and the best facilities in Canada.
Visual Art Students

ABOUT

Visual Art & Art History

With its unique interdisciplinary approach that bridges studio production, art history and curatorial practice, AMPD’s Department of Visual Art & Art History offers students the opportunity to become well-rounded professionals in the field, able to lead in the creation, exhibition, critical understanding and communication of visual culture in diverse environments. Bridging art creation, art history and curatorial practice, VAAH provides a unique interdisciplinary approach and the most acclaimed facilities in Canada.

OUR CREATIVE SPACES

L. L. Odette Centre for Sculpture

HIGHLIGHTS

A Brief History

1962
Lionel Rubinoff and William Kilbourn begin to bring art exhibitions to the campus, starting with Alan Jarvis’ A Decade of Art. Subsequent exhibitions follow, supervised by the Art Committee of the Board of Governors.
1965
With the development of the Keele Campus, the Stong House becomes an art studio used by painter Ronald Bloore and many others.
1968
The Department of Visual Arts is officially created and Ronald Bloore is appointed founding faculty member, under founding Dean Jules Heller in the newly established Faculty of Fine Arts.
1969
Department of Visual Arts enrols its first class.
1969
Rex Lingwood was one of the first students in the Fine Arts at York. He transferred from Psychology to Visual Arts, with a minor in Theatre Design.
1973
The second Fine Arts building (the first benign Burton Auditorium in 1965), now known as the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts (CFA), designed by Raymond Moriyama, opens.
1974
The Graduate Program in Visual Arts is established.
1976
Samuel Sarick establishes the Samuel Sarick Purchase Award in the graduate program in Visual Arts at York University. It is awarded to, on average, one student every year and their work is displayed throughout the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Centre for the Fine Arts.
2003
The Art Gallery of York University is founded.
2007
The Gales Gallery is dedicated, named in honour of donors Joy and Barry Gales.

FACULTY AND STAFF

People of Visual Art & Art History

Associate Professor

Sarah Parsons

Associate Professor

Brian Grosskurth

Professor

Anna Hudson

Professor

Janet Jones

Associate Professor

Hong Kal

Professor

Katherine Knight

Associate Professor

Leslie Korrick

Associate Professor

Yam Lau

Associate Professor

Nina Levitt

Associate Professor

Nancy Nicol

Associate Professor

Judith Schwarz

Professor Emeritus

Karen Stanworth

Professor

Brandon Vickerd

Associate Professor

Kevin Yates

Professor Emeritus

Carol Zemel

Professor Emeritus

Ted Bieler

Professor Emeritus

Shirley Ann Brown

Professor Emeritus

Barbara Dodge

Professor Emeritus

Hugh LeRoy

Professor Emeritus

Guy P.R. Métraux

Professor Emeritus

Bruce Parsons

Professor Emeritus

Tim Whiten

Professor Emeritus

Joyce Zemans

Professor Emeritus

Michael Davey

Contract Faculty

Chris Ironside

Professor Emeritus

Nell Tenhaaf

Associate Professor

Dan Adler

Associate Professor

David Scott Armstrong

Professor

Barbara Balfour

Professor Emeritus

Jon Baturin

Associate Professor

Marc Couroux

Professor

Michel Daigneault

Professor

Jennifer Fisher

Assistant Professor

Holly Ward

Associate Professor

Tammer El-Sheikh

Technical Staff

Lindsay Page

Assistant Professor

Robyn Cumming

Professor Emerita

Shelley Hornstein

Assistant Professor

Marissa Largo

Assistant Professor

Archer Pechawis

Assistant Professor

Natasha Bissonauth

FACULTY AND STAFF

Getting Involved

Visual Arts Student Association (VASA)

VASA’s goal is to enrich the visual arts and art history community in AMPD and across campus. This is achieved by various programs and services that members of the council organize and run themselves, including campus art tours, art workshops, life drawing sessions, and student art exhibits.

Creative Arts Student Association

Creative Arts Student Association: Representing students in all areas of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, the Creative Arts Student Association (CASA) sponsors events throughout the year, including coffee houses in the Fireside Lounge every Wednesday with free coffee and themed snacks.