An introduction to The School of Art and Art History; to give you some context of where the school has been.
The first Art History course at The University of Iowa was offered in the year 1900, and the Department of “Art History and Appreciation” was founded in 1920. In 1922 the school became the first Art program in the nation to accept creative work in lieu of a thesis, and thus began the initial stages of what came to be known as “The Iowa Idea”… e.g., the merging of Studio Art and Art History programs for the betterment of all students interested in art.
In 1924, Eve Drewelowe was awarded the first M.A. degree in fine arts, and in 1934 University President Walter Jessup laid the cornerstone for what was then the new art building. Its remains are still present between the current art buildings and the Iowa river, where it has been dormant since the flood of 2008. There is some dispute historically about which university was chronologically the first to offer the MFA degree, but it is generally understood to be either the University of Iowa, or Yale. However, it is factual that in1940, Elizabeth Catlett simultaneously became the first person, woman, and African American in the United States to earn the MFA degree. She was a student of Grant Wood, and is the namesake of the newest dormitory on campus, across the river from the art school and dedicated in 2017.
Between the years of 1946-1962, owing to the influence of the G.I. Bill, the University of Iowa awarded more graduate arts degrees than any other university in the country. Notable faculty during this period include: Grant Wood, H.W. Janson, Phillip Guston, David Hockney, Mauricio Lasansky, and Byron Burford.
Between 1959 and 1976 new wings were added on the original art building, as well as separate areas for Ceramics and Metals, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Intermedia was added during this period, founded by Hans Breder. Also in 1969, the University of Iowa Museum of Art opened in a building (also still on campus but no longer operating as the museum) designed by Max Abramovitz. Notable students and faculty during this time were Miriam Shapiro, Riva Castleman, Charles Ray, Ana Mendieta, among many others not mentioned.
In 1993 the Arts campus was closed for the summer as it fell victim to the first of two devastating floods – the initial only causing minor damage.
2006 brought the opening of Art Building West, designed by Steven Holl and Associates, and in 2008 the Arts campus was nearly destroyed by the second of the two floods the campus has faced since its genesis.
After eight years in a temporary location, The University of Iowa Visual Arts Building opened in the fall of 2016, also designed by Steven Holl and Associates.
