MFA-VA Visiting Artists & Critics

The Sam Fox School brings nationally and internationally recognized artists, designers, architects, historians, and critics to campus, promoting new ideas in practice, theory, and technology. Invited speakers often participate in graduate studio visits, conducting one-on-one reviews of work.

In addition, the MFA-VA program invites external artists, critics, theorists, and distinguished guests to campus to review students’ exhibitions and conduct studio visits at the end of each academic year.

A man in a gingham shirt, blue jeans, and black loafers sits in a chair (at left) talking to a woman (at right) in a green, army-style coat, black hoodie, black jeans, and black sneakers. Daylight illuminates the studio space from a large window at left. Artmaking materials are scattered across a worktable behind the figures. Sketches are pinned to the wall adjacent to the window.

Visiting artist Michael Ray Charles meets with a student for a studio visit.

2021-22 Visiting Artists + Critics

Hugo Crosthwaite / David Antonio Cruz / Dan Devening / Jess T. Dugan / Lisa Lapinsky / Marianne Laury / Cole Lu / Meleko Mokgosi / Robyn O’Neil / Maya Parnas / Deborah Roberts / Dario Robleto / Ingrid Schaffner / Sheldon Scott / Taryn Simon / Stephanie Syjuco / Adrian Octavius Walker

On the left, a woman in gray coveralls stands next to a woman in a black cardigan and black jeans, discussing a large sculpture-in-progress, at right. Each of them stands with an arm extended at shoulder levelto touch the sculpture, which is composed of two 3-inch-wide verticle PVC pipes wrapped in chicken wire and a panel of handmade yellow and brown felt.

Freund Teaching Fellow

The Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Teaching Fellowship centers around two core components: teaching in the Sam Fox School’s Graduate School of Art, and producing work for a solo exhibition for the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Currents series. Artist Meleko Mokgosi is the Freund Teaching Fellow for the 2021-22 academic year.

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Public Lecture Series

People gather on a spacious, stone patio in the early evening. At the center, a family leans together for a selfie with artist Ai Weiwei. In the distance, a bronze figurative sculpture by Rodin is visible, along with academic buildings built from pink granite and limestone, in the collegiate gothic style.

The Q&A with Ai Weiwei, in conjunction with his exhibition at the Kemper Art Museum, was one of the recent highlights of the Public Lecture Series. Learn more about past and upcoming speakers.

Past Public Lecture Series speakers include:

Diana Al-Hadid / Laylah Ali /Morehshin Allahyari / Gabriel Asfour / Dave Hullfish Bailey / Reinhard Bek / Xu Bing / Maggie Breslin / Gaby Brink / Michael Ray Charles / Seymour Chwast / Huey Copeland / Leah Dickerman / Mark Dion / Catherine Dossin / Henrik Drescher / Sam Durant / Omer Fast / Lisa D. Freiman / Tom Friedman / Coco Fusco / Thomas W. Gaehtgens / Orly Genger / Michelle Grabner / Pablo Helguera / Candice Hopkins / David Humphrey / Alfredo Jaar / Natasha Jen / Michael Joo / William Kentridge / Sylvia Koblowski / Erica Kochi / Ruby Lerner / Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle / Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) / Wangechi Mutu / Shaun O'Dell / Trevor Paglen / Jaume Plensa / John Douglas Powers / Shelley Rice / Julian Rosefeldt / Lisa Sanditz / Anne Schaefer / Beverly Semmes / Duane Slick / Christopher Sperandio / Martino Stierli / Michael Taylor / Jan Tumlir / Victoria Vesna / Carrie Mae Weems / Ai Weiwei / Pae White / Paula Wilson / Peter Yost

View Recordings of Recent Visiting Artist Lectures

MFA Lecture Series: Cole Lu

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Arthur L. and Sheila Prensky Island Press Visiting Artist Lecture: Stephanie Syjuco

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Bunny and Charles Burson Visiting Lecture: Mika Rottenberg

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View additional recordings