The School of Information enriches the student experience through international study, and has offered summer courses in London, Florence and Rome. In Spring 2024, we offered “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” taught by Dr. Cristina Pattuelli that included 5 class sessions in New York and Spring Break in Rome. We are pleased to offer this course again in the Spring 2025 semester, including Spring Break in Rome (March 16-22).
Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York
Course Description:
This course offers students the opportunity to gain an international perspective on methods and practices for archiving materials that relate to artists, their artwork, and their network of friends, colleagues, and associates. Through site visits, students are exposed to a variety of cultural heritage institutions, ranging from museums and galleries to artists’ archives and foundations, in two cities rich in art and culture — New York City and Rome. Students will engage directly with artists’ archives by consulting specific collections and meeting with archivists, curators, and other professionals working in these institutions. The readings and other course materials are international in scope and provide both technical and historical context for the site visits, as well as subject-specific knowledge regarding cultural heritage information management, design, conservation, and programming.
In the first half of the semester, preparatory sessions will be held on campus and at sites around NYC. At least 30 contact hours will take place in Rome over the week of spring break. Instruction will be held at locations such as the Art Archives Centre at MAXXI, the Museum of 21st Century Arts—housed in an award-winning building designed by Zaha Hadid—the archive of artist Franco Angeli, and the archive of photographer Elisabetta Catalano. Following the trip to Rome, two sessions will be held on campus and will focus on the preparation and presentation of course deliverables. The syllabus from the Spring ’24 course can be found here.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Develop critical and reflective perspectives on international cultural heritage institutions and practices
- Discern the appropriateness of different methods and tools for organizing, managing, and providing access to art objects and documentation related to artists’ lives and work from a variety of contexts and historical traditions
- Articulate the role that diversity plays in shaping our understanding of art, culture, and society
- Consider one’s professional identity and role within a global context
- Expand professional connections and explore opportunities for growth and advancement
Accommodations
Students and faculty are staying at the Navona Queen hotel which is located in Rome City Center. The hotel features a roof deck and European charm. You can find out more about the property on their website and on TripAdvisor.
Financial
The course will be offered as a 3-credit INFO 697 Special Topics course ($1,734/credit x 3 credits = $5,202), which is the same cost as all School of Information courses. Additionally, a $1,500 fee will be applied to the course that covers hotel accommodations, daily breakfasts, first-night dinner, farewell dinner, and a few van trips to visit sites. A $400 Study Abroad fee that supports study abroad operations at Pratt is also applied. Students will be required to sign-up for international insurance provided by GeoBlue in case of a health emergency in Europe, which costs $80.05. Students are responsible for airfare, lunch and dinner, and any additional ground transportation (e.g., public transit, taxis, Ubers, etc.). Note that alternative accommodations (e.g., AirBnB’s, etc.) are not permitted.
Learn More and Register
We hosted an information session on Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024 with detailed information about the course. You can watch the recording available here (Pratt.edu Zoom login required). For questions, please contact us.
You can apply to join the course here. Please note that students in the MS Library & Information Science and MS Museums and Digital Culture program receive priority registration for this course, followed by other School of Information students, followed by other graduate students at Pratt. For more information on study abroad programs at Pratt, please visit the Study Abroad website.
Photos from Spring 2024 Course
