Sculpture

An organization of advanced sculpture students led by Professor Durant Thompson, the UM Sculpture Society meets once a month to promote awareness of sculptural exhibitions and events, employment opportunities, and educational options. Meetings involve discussions for possible field trips to museums and conferences. Students choose visiting artists to invite to our department to demonstrate techniques through workshops and give lectures. The UM Sculpture Society holds its own metal-casting event at least once a year, when the community is invited to donate materials and participate in casting activities. The society is also assists with the installation of sculpture on campus and in the community for the Yokna Sculpture Trail.

Featuring a rotating exhibit of 18-20 large-scale sculptures by locally, regionally, and nationally renowned exhibiting artists, this collaboration between the City of Oxford, University of Mississippi, UM Museum, and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council is the first outdoor sculpture program of its kind in North Mississippi. A vibrant arts culture and beautiful green spaces are at the heart of what makes our community great. It is our hope that the Yokna Sculpture Trail, that highlights both, will be a source of enjoyment for residents and visitors for years to come! Sculpture students can be part of the installation process and interact with the working sculpture artists.

In addition to the many artists who visit campus through the Yokna Sculpture Trail and the UM Sculpture Society, the department also has an established visiting artist program – Art Talks. This program creates access to artists in person and via webcam, and helps students and faculty to keep pace with critical thought, contemporary artistic practice, and emerging technology used in cultural production today.

The list of visiting sculptors includes: 

• Aaron Hussey, Professional Artist
• Cliff Tresner,Art Program Coordinator, University of Louisiana at Monroe
• Jeffie Brewer, Professional Artist
• Jason Kimes, Professional Artist
• Coral Lambert, Professor of Sculpture at Alfred University
• Andy Light, Professional Artist
• Luke Achterburg, Professional Artist
• Mia Kaplan, Professional Artist
• George Tobolowsky, Professional Artist
• Phil Proctor, Professional Artist
• Jim Gallucci, Professional Artist
• Robbie Barber, Professor of Sculpture at Baylor University
• Dewane Hughes, Distinguished Professor of Sculpture, University of Texas, Tyler
• Rachel David, Professional Artist

Our museum has recently in the past years have been named to EDsmart’s list of “51 Most Astounding University Museums”, with a recent ranking of 17—one spot ahead of Princeton University. Many art students intern or volunteer with the UM Museum where they might work with art education programs or curate an exhibit.

In the museum, you can study the David M. Robinson Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, one of the finest collections in the United States. Covering the 1000-year period from 800 B.C. to around A.D. 300, the collection contains Greek and Roman sculpture, Greek decorated pottery, inscriptions, architectural fragments, inscribed Sumerian clay tablets, small artifacts in terracotta and bronze, and Roman copies of Greek art works.

Students and faculty work together to identify relevant residencies to provide valuable work experience, professional networks, further application of skills learned at the university, and a stronger resume. 

For those planning different career paths, the UM Office of Outreach’s formal Internship Experience program also assists students with internship placements in any career area of interest in Atlanta, New York City, and Washington D.C.

Art majors have exciting opportunities to experience the art and architecture abroad. They can arrange their own study abroad experience through the Office of Study Abroad. Or, they can travel with UM faculty.

One possibility is the course titled Art on Location, where UM faculty can take a course of students to different locations around the US and abroad. For example, in the 2-week Winter Intersession in the first two weeks of January 2019, art historian Dr. Louise Arrizoli teamed up with a French professor to offer a study of art in Paris, France.