Keynote speaker:

Dr. Elena FitzPatrick Sifford

Associate Professor of Art History

and Director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Muhlenberg College

Welcome to Making Contact: Haptic, Temporal, Spatial, and Conceptual Connections, the fifth biennial Graduate Student Art History Symposium (GSAHS) at Washington University in St. Louis.  

This two-day symposium addresses the critical role of contact in its many forms for artmaking, art historical research, and archeological practice. Dr. Elena FitzPatrick Sifford, Associate Professor of Art History and Director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Muhlenberg College, will deliver her keynote address, “Bodily Dichotomies and Racialization: The Case of Vicente Albán’s Quito Paintings,” at our opening reception on the evening of Friday, February 23. This will be followed by a dance performance by WashU MFA students Tess Angelica Losada Miner and Lourdes del Mar Santiago Lebrón as part of the symposium’s accompanying exhibition without walls.

Our twelve graduate student speakers will present their papers across three panels throughout the day on Saturday, February 24. These outstanding student scholars address a variety of topics across cultures, time periods, and theoretical approaches.

Please see our schedule for more detailed information on our events.

We are delighted and honored to have you join us!