New full-time faculty members, visiting artists, and fellows

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is pleased to welcome new full-time faculty members who are joining the School. These faculty members represent a diverse range of practices, media, and methodologies and exemplify SAIC’s focus on interdisciplinary studies.

The new faculty members, who will teach in three departments across the School, include Benjamin Larose (MDes 2016, Fashion Design), Kristin McWharter (Art and Technology Studies), Rey Benedict Pador (Fashion Design), and Oliver Shao (Liberal Arts). In addition to SAIC’s new full-time faculty, the School will host nine full-time visiting artists, including Peter Burr (Film, Video, New Media, and Animation), Christian Campbell (Writing), Giovanni Innella (Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects), Jason LaFountain (Art History, Theory, and Criticism), Sasha Phyars-Burgess (Photography), Jiwon Son (MFA 2007, Visual Communication Design), Joshua Stein (Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects), Ife Williams (Arts Administration and Policy), and Takahiro Yamamoto (Performance).

The School also welcomes two post-graduate teaching fellows, Delano Dunn (Painting and Drawing, Contemporary Practices) and Maryam Yousif (Ceramics), who are coming to SAIC as part of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) Graduate Teaching Fellowship. This program seeks to provide professional practice opportunities to high-achieving alums of AICAD member schools while contributing to the diversity of faculty. Read more about SAIC’s new full-time faculty, visiting artists, and teaching fellows.

Of the new full-time faculty members and visiting artists, Jason LaFountain, Benjamin Larose, and Jiwon Son previously taught at SAIC as part-time faculty members. Last spring, many part-time faculty members received promotions, including: Marzena Abrahamik, Joseph Belknap (MFA 2009), Sarah Belknap (MFA 2010), Larissa Borteh (MFA 2014), Troy Briggs (MFA 2012), Suman Chhabra (MFA 2015), James Connolly (BFA 2009), Nancy Fleischman (BFA 2002, MFA 2012), Yoshiko Fredisdorf, Rosalynn Gingerich (MFA 2003), Evan Gruzis, Joseph Kramer (MFA 2010), Matt Morris, Erica Mott, Kate O’Neill (BFA 2005, MFA 2013), Andrea Peterson (BFA 1989), Dylan Rabe (BFA 2011, MFA 2014), Celeste Rapone (MFA 2013), Terry Surjan, Sonja Thomsen, Emily Willis, Lisa Zaher, and Meredith Zielke (MFA 2010) who were promoted to adjunct assistant professor. In addition, Brett Balogh (MFA 2007), Joel Benjamin, Alex Chitty (MFA 2008), Deborah DelSignore, Josh Dihle (MFA 2012), Robb Drinkwater, Peter Fagundo (MFA 2002), Aram Han Sifuentes (MFA 2013), Todd Hasak-Lowy, Beth Hetland (BFA 2009), Sterling Lawrence (BFA 2007, MFA 2011), Kristin Mariani (BFA 1994), Allie n Steve Mullen, and Nathanaël were promoted to adjunct associate professor, and Judith Brotman (BFA 1989, MFA 1994) and Michael Ryan were promoted to adjunct full professor.

Additionally, Professor Candida Alvarez (Painting and Drawing) was awarded the School’s F.H. Sellers Professorship in Painting. Endowed in 1939, the professorship has previously been held by Susanna Coffey and Ray Yoshida (BFA 1953).