Sam Fox School Faculty Receive Research Awards

Five faculty members at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis have received research awards to encourage the pursuit of innovative new projects and further their ongoing work.

Chris Dingwall, assistant professor, will begin archival research for “Black Energy: The Infrastructures of the Black Arts Movement.” The project examines a varied paperwork generated by African American artists during the 1960s and ’70s. It aims to center the importance of graphic design in the everyday work of the Black Arts Movement, and Dingwall envisions this work leading to a potential exhibition and book-length publication.

Meghan Kirkwood, associate professor and chair of undergraduate studio art, will use funds to work with editors in sequencing two bodies of work for fellowships and book proposals: Orphan Wells and Prolonged Aftermath.

Kelley Van Dyck Murphy, assistant professor, will put funds towards related expenses for the publication of an edited volume titled “Claying Architecture: Making Machine and Material Kin” and an accompanying exhibition in New York City. The book presents a curated collection of essays and projects focusing on clay 3D printing in architectural design, and will be accompanied by a curated exhibition of 28 international designers shown together in spring 2025.

Arny Nadler, associate professor, will use award funds in support of a solo exhibition scheduled for the University of Dallas’ Haggerty Gallery in fall 2024. Nadler hopes to create additional new sculptures shown alongside existing work in his series, Firstlings.

Aggie Toppins, associate professor and chair of undergraduate design, is planning a half-day symposium titled “New Directions in Design History” to be held at the Sam Fox School in the spring 2025 semester. Toppins plans to pursue publication of a small edited volume with an independent design press to publish essays based on the papers delivered at the symposium.