Funded MFA in Studio Art

The Newcomb Art Department at Tulane University is devoted to the study and production of visual art within the context of Tulane University’s strong tradition in the liberal arts. The Art Department fosters a collaborative and rigorous environment that promotes creative and critical inquiry, exploration, and innovation in studio arts practice. The Department emphasizes a multi-disciplinary approach to contemporary art-making and supports myriad forms of expression with concentrations in Sculpture, Glass, Ceramics, Photography, Printmaking, Digital Arts and Painting & Drawing.

The Newcomb Art Department offers an MFA degree in a small, intensive, interdisciplinary, two-year residency program that emphasizes close interaction with dedicated faculty and peers, and engagement with New Orleans’ cultural landscape. The graduate curriculum is focused on individual studio practice while also engaging students in cross-disciplinary seminars on art theory, pedagogy, and practice-based research as well as courses in the history of art. All admitted graduate students receive a full tuition waiver and a generous assistantship stipend. Teaching and teaching-assistantship opportunities are available to all admitted students each semester.

Located in New Orleans, a vibrant and culturally rich city in the Gulf South, the Newcomb Art Department draws from a diverse and exciting range of artistic and cultural production. Local resources include Prospect New Orleans, an international art Biennial, The Backstreet Cultural Museum, the New Orleans African American Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans, the Joan Mitchell Center, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

Facilities
Graduate students are provided with a studio space and 24-hour access to world-class facilities in the Woldenberg Art Center. The Woldenberg Art Center offers some of the finest facilities available. Sculpture houses a metal fabrication area, mixed media space, digital fabrication capabilities, and space for installation and performance. Ceramics includes large general studio workrooms as well as specialized clay, glaze and plaster mixing rooms, critique/computer and kiln rooms. Glass houses both a hot and cold shop, as well as a steel fabrication area. Printmaking has facilities for intaglio, lithography and silkscreen as well as its own darkroom. The Digital Arts studio includes 14 workstations with the latest software, 5 scanners, along with medium and large format printers. Photography an advanced digital imaging room with an Imacon film scanner and 44 inch inkjet printer, a computer lab with the latest software and large format inkjet printers (17 and 24 inches), graduate and main darkrooms, lighting studio, and an equipment cage. Painting and Drawing maintains four large classrooms with entire walls of natural north light and color-balanced lighting overhead. The Department also has a 3D Fabrication shop containing a wood shop, CNC router, laser cutter, and 3D printer. The Carroll Gallery serves as the exhibition space of the Newcomb Art Department, dedicated primarily to student and faculty exhibitions, including the annual MFA candidacy review and MFA thesis exhibitions. The Newcomb Art Museum features exhibitions and programs that utilize the critical frameworks of diverse disciplines in conceptualizing and interpreting innovative art and design.

Studio Art Faculty: Teresa Cole, Aaron Collier, Adam Crosson, AnnieLaurie Erickson, Ronna Harris, Kevin H. Jones, Jeremy Jernegan, Gene Koss, Anthony Baab, William DePauw, Sean Fader, Anne Nelson, Christian Stock.

Past visiting artists and critics: Andrea Fraser, Latoya Ruby Frasier, Trevor Paglen, Mickalene Thomas, Jenni Sorkin, Tania Bruguera, Arlene Shechet, Helen Molesworth, Zarouhie Abdalian, Hank Willis Thomas, Jessica Stockholder, Jason Lazarus, Curtis Mann, Hannah Whitaker, Cameron Shaw, Tanyth Berkeley, Dan Cameron, Miranda Lash, Paul Chan, Mel Chin, John F. Clark, Holland Cotter, Luke DuBois, Eve Fowler, Pat Steir, Robert Storr, Katy Grannan, Craig Drennen, Dana Hoey, Susan Kismaric, Nicola Lopez, Lothar Osterburg, Eric Parker, Alexis Rockman, Jeff L. Rosenheim, Thomas Roma, Jennifer Steinkamp, Swoon, Marcia Vetrocq, Pawel Wojtasik, and Lisa Yuskavage.

Application information
The Newcomb Art Department is accepting applications in Sculpture, Glass, Ceramics, Photography, Printmaking, Digital Arts and Painting & Drawing. The application deadline is February 1, 2021. Please note that the GRE is not required of MFA applicants in Studio Art. Further information and application guidelines can be found here. The application process can be completed online here.