Welcome.

The Department of Visual Art at the University of Chicago is committed to advancing theory and practice as a unified and sustainable investigation. History, social thought, philosophy, and aesthetics in and outside the field of artistic practice are of considerable influence on thinking artists. This approach investigates the world as it is, and imagines the world as it could be.

Located within an internationally recognized research institution, the department fosters both multi-disciplinary and focused visual studies that engage our contemporary world with meaningful questions. Our faculty has made significant contributions to the dialogue of contemporary art. Candidates for a Master of Fine Arts degree, and the undergraduate student alike, benefit from direct contact with that dialogue in critical engagement.

BREAKING NEWS

It's with great excitement that we join the University in announcing the appointment of Jessica Stockholder as Professor and the next Chair of the Department of Visual Arts. DOVA faculty, staff, and students look forward to her leadership as we prepare for the move to the new Logan Center next year. Stockholder will assume her position this summer. Read more >