This program will consist of a combination of on-site lectures, studio art workshops, and critiques designed to engage students in the exploration of contemporary art and culture. Each student will be assigned a studio space. Students will have the opportunity to develop a significant body of studio work, while experiencing Venice; its museums such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Scuola San Rocco, Punta della Dogana, and the Biennale festival. They also will explore Venice's outlying islands, and other significant sites in the Veneto region. All lectures will be in English or with an English translator.

This intensive 4 week combined studio/art history program, meets 5 days per week, and will focus on the Venice Biennale. Through close proximity and exposure to the national pavilions in the Giardini and elsewhere, as well as the Aperto and ancillary project spaces, students will be immersed in the wide range of work that global contemporary artists are creating. Studio production will be informed by not only the day-to-day experience of visiting the Biennale sites and museums, but also through an understanding of the history of the Biennale (the world's oldest and, arguably, most prestigious art exposition) and the unique nature and history of the city of Venice itself.

The Course of Study

Six (6) credits will be offered for the program. Courses will be listed by Marist College as:

• ART 358 N: Venice Biennale and the International Influence (Studio) 3 cr.
• ARTL 315 L: Venice Biennale (Art History) 3 cr.

A Typical Day's Schedule

9 am – 12 pm  Studio
12 pm – 2 pm  Lunch
2 pm – 4 pm    Visit to Biennale or other art site
5 pm – 10 pm  Studio

Program Notes

Applicants should demonstrate flexibility and a sincere desire to increase their understanding of contemporary art and studio art media, and should possess the emotional strength to adjust to a foreign environment.
Marist-Italy Programs reserves the right to modify or cancel the program as dictated by current economic and/or political situations. This may include changes to the scheduled itinerary or program dates.

All fees will be refunded if a program is canceled.

Information is subject to change.

Program Sponsors

Marist College, known for its commitment to teaching excellence, is home to approximately 4,200 traditional undergraduate men and women, as well as graduate and continuing education students. Marist offers 33 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees, 11 toward master’s degrees, and numerous professional certificate programs. The College has a branch campus in Florence, Italy, offered in partnership with the Lorenzo de’Medici Institute (LdM).

LdM started life in 1973 as one of the first centers in Florence to specialize in teaching Italian as a foreign language. Later the school branched out into Studio Art courses, and has now become Italy’s leading study abroad institution, with centers in Florence, Tuscania and Rome. LdM offers approximately two and a half thousand men and women a year the opportunity to live in the midst of Italian culture and share their study experience with others of different nationalities.

Program Directors

Under the direction of Marist Professor Ed Smith, a Guggenheim Fellow and an Associate Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculpture, and LdM Professor Elisa Gradi, Curator, Consultant, and Supervisor of Art History at LdM, program participants will expand their skills in Art and Art History through two 3-credit courses: ART 358: Venice Biennale and International Influence (Studio); and ART 315 Venice Biennale (Art History). Course methodologies include a combination of on-site lectures, studio art workshops, and critiques designed to engage students in the exploration of contemporary art and culture. Each participant will be assigned a studio space, and participants will have the opportunity to develop a body of studio work, while experiencing Venice, including museums such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Galleries dell’Accademia, Scuola San Rocco, Punta della Dogana, and the Biennale festival. Participants will also explore Venice’s outlying islands and other significant sites in the Veneto region. Additional faculty from both Marist and LdM will offer guest lectures to complement the instruction and direction offered by Professors Smith and Gradi. All lectures will be in English or with an English translator.