With the galleries and museums spanning the entire island, Manhattan is rich with all sorts of art. Seeing it all, however, is a daunting task. Before you venture off-campus in order to tackle the city’s masterpieces, it may be a good idea to warm up with the stellar options Columbia has to offer. Indoors and out, you’re sure to find worthy pieces right at your fingertips.
Wallach Art Gallery
If you’re looking for a venue with meticulously curated and historically significant exhibitions, then the Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery is the place to be. Located on the eighth floor of Schermerhorn Hall, the gallery is a venue for Columbia faculty and students, as well as other scholars and academics, to showcase their curating and artistic abilities. Shows here exhibit a wide range of artwork, from modernist Iraqi paintings to the student works of MFA students. But you are certain to find a stimulating experience no matter the time of year.
Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker
Not every college student has an Auguste Rodin sculpture in front of their philosophy building—but Columbia students do. On the lawn behind St Paul’s Chapel sits Columbia’s seated, pensive nude—The Thinker. Auguste Rodin’s bronze and marble sculpture is an homage to Dante’s Divine Comedy, as well as a nod to the heroic figure typical of Michelangelo. And with only a little over 20 other versions of The Thinker around the world, students should feel honored knowing one of Rodin’s most celebrated works is conveniently located in their very own backyard.
Postcrypt Art Gallery
For those in the know, St Paul’s Chapel isn’t just any house of worship. In addition to touting its own rich architectural history, the building is home to the artistic debauchery that occurs at Postcrypt Art Gallery. Located in the chapel’s basement, this undergraduate student-run gallery features innovative and often controversial exhibitions each semester, such as last year’s “Skeleton’s in the Closet” and the “Propaganda Show.” The venue attracts many aspiring curators and artists, along with Columbia’s artsy folk musicians. If you happen to be 21, take advantage of the free wine readily available on opening nights.
Kara Walker’s “The Policy of Admission”
Sure, you’ll probably encounter a well-known professor’s book in Butler Library or the Columbia Bookstore. But a mural by a School of the Arts professor and one of the world’s most famous contemporary artists—not so standard. Kara Walker’s “The Policy of Admission” calls Columbia’s own Dodge Hall (not to be mistaken with Dodge Fitness Center) its home. The installation—life-size cutouts depicting slavery, African-American stereotypes, and the South—is typical of Walker. Oftentimes, Walker’s works are seen as too offensive and controversial for public display. But Columbia allows us to take a walk around campus, take in old and new masterworks, and decide what we think of them for ourselves.
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