What is the role of the arts at a major research institution like Johns Hopkins? And how do we connect the worlds of research and art in a compelling manner? At the Krieger School, we have a panoply of ways our students and faculty can engage with various art forms. In addition to understanding critical works of art displayed throughout the Homewood campus, students can explore their creativity in our Center for Visual Arts, study the nuances of film in our Program in Film and Media Studies, or learn about art curation in our Program in Museums and Society. And students can also avail themselves of one of the most storied creative writing programs in the country through our renowned Writing Seminars department. 

Here in Baltimore, we are fortunate to be in close proximity to important collections and exhibits in the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), the Walters Art Museum, and the Peale museum, to name just a few. In fact, last December, the Krieger School signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the BMA aimed at building awareness of the two institutions, enhancing curricular collaborations, and fostering opportunities for research collaborations. In just the last academic year, the BMA has hosted 108 guided class visits, compared to 39 the previous year. Partnerships like these give our students hands-on experiences with artists and practitioners. 

About 40 minutes away, our Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., enhances our quest to connect the worlds of research and art with the new Irene and Richard Frary Gallery, which opened just in October with an exhibition of rare avant-garde works by artists throughout the European continent including Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltics, created during the social and cultural upheavals in Central and Eastern Europe between 1910 and 1941. The stunning 1,000-square-foot gallery will present rotating exhibitions drawn from university collections, and special exhibitions in partnership with leading museums and collections. 

From the Krieger School to Peabody to the Bloomberg Center, the arts at Johns Hopkins are expanding. And now a new initiative put in place by Provost Ray Jayawardhana aims to bolster the arts across the university, embracing their potential to invigorate community, enrich student learning, and inspire the exchange of ideas across disciplines and divisions. 

The initiative will be led by art historian Daniel H. Weiss ’92, Homewood Professor of the Humanities at the Krieger School and President Emeritus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Dan served as the dean of the Krieger School from 2002 until 2005. In an announcement about the initiative, he said, “Johns Hopkins has always had that commitment [to the arts and humanities], but it hasn’t always been highly visible, synergistic, or strategic.” 

I am eager to see the results of the team Dan has put together to move this effort forward, so stay tuned to this Arts & Sciences Magazine. 

Enhancing our ability to create, ponder, and interact with art gives us deeper insights into our own humanity and the humanity of others. It is a vital aspect of the education students receive at Johns Hopkins. I invite our Krieger School alumni to share news with us ([email protected]) about your work or involvement in the arts. We’d love to hear from you. 

Sincerely,

Christopher S. Celenza

James B. Knapp Dean