In Focus: Wellesley College Faculty Artists exhibition

In celebration of Wellesley College’s 150th anniversary, nine nationally and internationally acclaimed artists, who also serve as faculty members, will present works in photography, painting, collage, sculpture, book arts, printmaking, video, sound, and other interdisciplinary media as part of In Focus: Wellesley College Faculty Artists. The exhibition will be on view at the Davis Museum at Wellesley College from September 19 until December 14, 2025 and again from February 6, 2026 through May 24, 2026.

Among the high-profile artists featured will be Kathryn Abarbanel, Genevieve Cohn, Claudia Joskowicz, Kathya Maria Landeros, Phyllis McGibbon, Andrew Mowbray, Daniela Rivera, Katherine Ruffin, and David Teng-Olsen.

“In Focus explores the extraordinary range of media, perspectives, and talents of these artists—renowned creators who are also faculty members at Wellesley College.” said Dr. Nicole Berlin, the exhibition’s curator. “The works range from an energetic and vividly painted 20-foot mural, intimate photographs of landscapes in Arizona, to a video installation capturing everyday life in El Alto, Bolivia.”

In Focus is curated by Dr. Nicole Berlin, Associate Curator of Collections with Mark Beeman, Manager of Exhibitions and Collections Preparation, and includes contributions from Helen Connor, Assistant Registrar for Exhibitions and Digital Resources, and Nell Gould, Assistant Preparator. This exhibition is generously supported by the Mellon Academic Programs Fund, the June Feinberg Stayman ‘48 Art Fund, and the Wellesley College Friends of Art at the Davis.

Dr. Amanda Gilvin, the Interim Co-Director, Sonja Novak Koerner ‘51 Senior Curator, and Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Davis, says, “We at the Davis are thrilled to have this opportunity to share the artwork of our colleagues in the Art Department. They exhibit all around the world, and we want for our community to be able to appreciate--and celebrate!--their brilliance right here at home. Beginning in 1993, the year that this building opened, the Davis has hosted a group exhibition of studio faculty artists about every five years.”

There are also three other concurrent exhibitions at the Davis, also in celebration of the 150th anniversary: The Worlds of Ilse Bing, Digging Into History: The Wellesley College Hall Archeology Project; and Sound Lounge: Suzanne Ciani.

Among the events planned for the four exhibitions are:

September 18, 2025: A Conversation Between Suzanne Ciani '68 and Carrie Cushman

September 18, 2025: Opening Celebration

September 19, 2025: A Concert by Suzanne Ciani '68. Hosted by the Music Department in collaboration with the Davis Museum

October 7, 2025: Curatorial Tour of The Worlds of Ilse Bing

October 7, 2025: In Focus Artist Roundtable

November 19, 2025: Curatorial Tour of Digging Into History: The Wellesley College Hall Archaeology Project

Look for more events during the Spring 2026 semester.

The Davis Museum is free and open to the public Tuesdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 781-283-2051 or visit https://www1.wellesley.edu/davismuseum/visit/directions.

ABOUT THE DAVIS MUSEUM

A vital resource for communities on the Wellesley College campus and beyond, the Davis Museum is one of the oldest and most acclaimed academic fine art museums in the United States. Its signature Rafael Moneo building houses collections that span the history of art worldwide, from antiquity to the present. Guided by commitments to diversity and inclusion, excellence and innovation, and access for all, the Davis is at the core of Wellesley’s liberal arts mission of educating women to make a difference in the world. With exceptional encyclopedic holdings, rotating special exhibitions, and enriching public programs, the Davis warmly welcomes all visitors, including scholars and students of all ages. For visitor information: https://www.wellesley.edu/davi...;

ABOUT WELLESLEY COLLEGE AND THE ARTS

The Wellesley College arts curriculum and the highly acclaimed Davis Museum are integral components of the College’s liberal arts education. Departments and programs from across the campus enliven the community with world-class programming– classical and popular music, visual arts, theatre, dance, author readings, symposia, and lectures by some of today’s leading artists and creative thinkers–most of which are free and open to the public.

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.