Art

The Department of Art seeks to help students acquire visual literacy, that is, the ability to understand and critically respond to our current visual culture and how it has been influenced by the traditions of visual representation from the past.

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Faculty

Our faculty are both scholars and teachers who devote their careers to making important contributions to their disciplines through writing and research. They are committed to undergraduate education and teach everything from first-year seminars to advanced courses.

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Department Overview

The art department has created programs of major study that are deeply integrated with the overall liberal arts education that is the hallmark of Oberlin. A chief goal of the department is to help students acquire visual literacy, that is, the ability to understand and critically respond to our current visual culture and how it has been influenced by the traditions of visual representation from the past. Students also acquire sophisticated written, technical, and visual abilities that allow them to convey their ideas, their understanding, and their appreciation of art through formal as well as new media.

The department’s access to campus facilities, including the internationally acclaimed Allen Memorial Art Museum, and the college’s proximity to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Toledo Museum of Art enrich the art major’s overall academic development and experience.