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American Academy in Rome

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American Academy in Rome
American Academy in Rome in 1995
Map
Established1894
LocationRome,Italy
New York City,U.S.
TypeResearch center
Arts institution
DirectorAliza Wong
PresidentPeter N. Miller
Websitewww.aarome.org

TheAmerican Academy in Romeis a research and arts institution located on theGianicoloinRome,Italy. The academy is a member of theCouncil of American Overseas Research Centers.[1]

History[edit]

In 1893, a group of American architects, painters and sculptors met regularly while planning the fine arts section of the1893 World's Columbian Expositionin Chicago. The group discussed the idea of forming an American school for artists in Europe as a place for American artists to study and further their skills. Led byCharles F. McKimof architectural practiceMcKim, Mead & White,they decided that Rome, which they considered a veritable museum of masterpieces of painting, sculpture and architecture throughout the ages, would be the best location for the school. The program began with institutions such asColumbia UniversityandUniversity of Pennsylvania,who would provide scholarships to artists to fund their travel to Rome. In October 1894 the American School of Architecture opened temporarily at thePalazzo Torlonia;directed byAustin W. Lord,it had three fellows, one visiting student, and a library with one volume. In July 1895, the program moved into the larger Villa Aurora. Renting space out to the American School of Classical Studies and the British & American Archeological Society Library, and financial contributions from McKim, allowed for the school to remain open.[2]

In 1895, theAmerican School of Architecture in Romewasincorporatedin New York state and 10 shares ofcapital stockwere issued. Despite fund-raising efforts and the American School of Classical Studies pulling out of Villa Aurora, the organization struggled financially. McKim made up for the financial loss with his personal funds. These struggles would cause the American School of Architecture to restructure and base their program on theFrench Academy.In June 1897, the institution dissolved itself and formed the American Academy in Rome.[2]Among its incorporators wasCharles Moore.[3]

The Academy introduced bills to theU.S. Congressto make it a "national institution," which was successful.[4]In 1904, the Academy moved into Villa Mirafiore, which was soon purchased and renovated. They formed anendowment,which raised over a million dollars, designating those having donated over $100,000 as founders. These founders included McKim,Harvard College,The Carnegie Foundation,J.P. Morgan,J.P. Morgan Jr.,John D. Rockefeller Jr.,The Rockefeller Foundation,William K. Vanderbilt,Henry Walters,and others.[2]Ever since, the American Academy has always been primarily privately financed.[5]Today, financing comes from private donations as well as grants from theNational Endowment for the Artsand theNational Endowment for the Humanities.[6]

In 1912, theAmerican School of Classical Studies in Romemerged with the Academy, giving the Academy two wings: one that focuses on fine art and one,classical studies.Women were a part of the School of Classical Studies, but were not permitted participation in the School of Fine Arts until afterWorld War II.[2]Since 1914,Joseph Brodsky,Aaron Copland,Nadine Gordimer,Thornton Wilder,Mary McCarthy,Philip Guston,Frank Stella,William Styron,Michael Graves,Robert Venturi,Robert Penn Warren,Oscar HijuelosandElizabeth Murray,among others, have come to the Academy for inspiration.[5][7]More recent fellows include artistsFirelei Báez,Nari Ward,Rochelle Feinstein,Sanford Biggers,Roberto LugoandDaniel Joseph Martinez,writersAnthony Doerr,Alexandra KleemanandKirstin Valdez Quade,composersChristopher Cerrone,Pamela ZandAndy Akiho,architectGermane Barnes,and filmmakerGarrett Bradley (filmmaker).[8]

In her tenure as president from 1988 and 2013, Adele Chatfield-Taylor, helped restore the Academy's McKim, Mead & White building at a cost of $8.2 million[5]and oversaw a capital campaign in which the institution's endowment grew to $100 million. She also brought onAlice Watersto create the Rome Sustainable Food Project, which brings chefs from the United States to explore Italian sustainable food traditions and to cook for the Academy guests. Mark Robbins (1997 Fellow) became president and CEO of the Academy in January 2014.[9]His tenure has seen the American Academy in Rome become more diverse and globally facing, and he launched new public programming in the United States.[10]As of July 1, 2023,Peter N. Milleris serving as President of the American Academy in Rome.

Programs[edit]

The Academy serves as a "home" to visiting U.S. scholars and artists having been awarded theRome Prize.Given each year to around 30 (15 artist and 15 scholars) of more than 1,000 applicants,[11]the Rome Prize is awarded for work in the following fields:classical studies,ancient studies,medieval studies,modernItalianstudies, architecture, design,historic preservation,art conservation,landscape architecture,musical composition,visual art, and literature. The Rome Prize includes terms that range from six months to two years fellowships at the academy; a stipend ($16,000 for half-year and $30,000 for full-year fellowships); and work and living space at the 11-acre campus.

The 2023/2024 Rome Prize cycle included:Kamrooz Aram,Nao Bustamante,Zachary Fabri,Jeanine Oleson,andDread Scott.[12]

The American Academy in Rome also has a prestigious residency program, where international leaders in disciplines represented by theRome Prizeare invited to come to the Academy to work and serve as informal mentors. Recent residents have included prominent writersDon Delillo,Ayad Akhtar,André Aciman,Anna Deavere SmithandJhumpa Lahiri,artistsKara Walker,Yto Barrada,Teresita Fernández,Laurie Anderson,Julie MehretuandTheaster Gates,designerMichael Bierut,architectsAnnabelle Selldorf,Jeanne GangandDavid Adjaye,composersNico Muhly,David Lang (composer)(also a Fellow) andTania León,and scholarsLynn Meskell,Mary Beard (classicist),Shadi Bartsch,David Kertzer,David NirenbergandDavid McCullough.[8]

In addition to Rome Prize Fellows and Resident, visiting scholars and artists live and work at the Academy for varying periods.[2]

Governance and leadership[edit]

The American Academy in Rome is a501(c)(3)nonprofit organization that was incorporated byU.S. Congressin 1905 (An Act of Congress to incorporate the American Academy in Rome,approved March 3, 1905).[13]Its operations are financed privately, through the support of individual donors, foundations, private colleges and universities, and funds from its endowment. It has aboard of trustees.

The American Academy in Rome is led by the President and CEO,Peter N. Miller.Until 1971, the president was an unsalaried position held by the chairmen of the board of trustees. In 1971, the administrative structure was changed in recognition of the need for a professional staff in the U.S., and the position of President and CEO was separated from that of Chair of the Board of Trustees.[14]

Additionally, the American Academy in Rome has a Director in Rome, who reports to the President, which is usually a tenured academic who is "lent" from their home institution to serve as director for a term of three years. Aliza Wong was named director in 2022, becoming the first woman of color to serve as director in the institution's 128-year history.[15]

List of presidents[edit]

Source:[14]: 159 

List of directors[edit]

Source:[25][14]: 160 

Site[edit]

The Academy is housed in several buildings. The main building was designed by the firm ofMcKim, Mead, and White(their only building in Europe) and opened in 1914. Located under the floor of the basement of the main building lies a segment of theAqua Traianathat was discovered in 1912–1913.[26]The courtyard has a fountain designed by sculptorPaul Manship.The 2011Driehaus Prizewinner andNew Classical architectMichael Gravesdesigned the rare books library in 1996.

The Academy also owns theVilla Aurelia,[2]a country estate built forCardinal Girolamo Farnesein 1650. The building served asGiuseppe Garibaldi's headquarters during the French siege of Rome in 1849. The villa was heavily damaged during the assault, but it was restored. It was then purchased byPhiladelphiaheiressClara Jessup Heyland.Heyland died in 1909, bequeathing the villa to the Academy in her will.[2]

Archaeology[edit]

A portion of theaqueductAqua Traianaand the ruins of thewatermillsfed by the aqueduct are on the grounds of the Academy. From the third to the sixth century CE, the Aqua Traiana carried water to operate a number of water mills used for grinding grain, mostly wheat, into flour to make bread, the most important item in the Roman diet. The ancient city of Rome had to import large amounts of grain fromEgypt,North Africa, andSicilyto feed its population, estimated at one million people at its peak. The mills on Janiculum Hill and on the site of the Academy were the second largest complex of water mills known in the ancient world. The provision of grain to the residents of Rome was called theCura Annonae.The aqueduct and the watermills were excavated in the 1990s.[27]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"American Overseas Research Centers".Council of American Overseas Research Centers. Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2012.RetrievedMarch 28,2012.
  2. ^abcdefg"Finding Aid".American Academy in Rome records, 1855–[ca.1981], (bulk dates 1894–1946).Archives of American Art.2011.RetrievedJune 17,2011.
  3. ^Caemmerer, H. Paul. "Charles Moore and the Plan of Washington."Records of the Columbia Historical Society.Vol. 46/47 (1944/1945): 237–258, 254.
  4. ^Glenn Brown1860–1930: Memories(Washington DC, 1931), pp. 425–28)
  5. ^abcJean Nathan (June 9, 1994),In Rome, Renovation Worthy of the MediciThe New York Times.
  6. ^American Academy Gives 1991 Rome PrizesThe New York Times,April 11, 1991.
  7. ^Margulies, Donald (1998).Our Town – A Play in Three Acts.HarperPerennial.Foreword and "About The Author" by Margulies.ISBN978-0-06-051263-7.
  8. ^abThe American Academy in Rome
  9. ^abRachel Donadio (October 30, 2013),American Academy in Rome Names New PresidentThe New York Times.
  10. ^Rome, American Academy in (October 3, 2022)."Mark Robbins to Step Down as President and CEO in July 2023".American Academy in Rome.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
  11. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on June 19, 2015.RetrievedJune 18,2015.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^Maximiliano Duron (April 24, 2023)."Seven Artists Win Coveted Rome Prize, Including Dread Scott and Nao Bustamante".ART News.
  13. ^Valentine, L. and Valentine, A.The American Academy in Rome: 1894–1969,published by the University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1873.
  14. ^abcMax, J. and Linker, W.American Academy in Rome: Celebrating a Century,published by the American Academy in Rome, 1995.
  15. ^"The American Academy in Rome picks new director, the first woman of colour to lead the institution in its 128-year history".The Art Newspaper - International art news and events.April 1, 2022.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  16. ^Rome, American Academy in (April 26, 2023)."Peter N. Miller Named New AAR President".American Academy in Rome.RetrievedAugust 22,2023.
  17. ^"NewsSmith Fall 1998, Volume 13, Number 1".smith.edu.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  18. ^American Academy in Rome press release.[1].
  19. ^"American Academy in Rome Appoints Christopher Celenza Its 21st Director".Funzionalità.December 13, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on June 24, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
  20. ^"New director of American Academy in Rome".Wanted in Rome.March 4, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on June 24, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
  21. ^"The American Academy in Rome Names John Ochsendorf as Director".architectmagazine.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  22. ^Rome, American Academy in (February 13, 2020)."Avinoam Shalem Appointed 24th Director of the American Academy in Rome".American Academy in Rome.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
  23. ^Rome, American Academy in (August 18, 2021)."American Academy in Rome Leadership – Fall 2021".American Academy in Rome.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
  24. ^"The American Academy in Rome picks new director, the first woman of color to lead the institution in its 128-year history".The Art Newspaper - International art news and events.April 1, 2022.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  25. ^Valentine, L. and Valentine, A.The American Academy in Rome: 1894–1969,published by the University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1973. Pages 154–200.
  26. ^Van Buren, Albert William; Stevens, Gorham Phillips (1915–16)."The Aqua Traiana and the Mills on the Janiculum".Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome.1.University of Michigan Press: 59–61.
  27. ^Wilson, Andrew (2000), "The Water-Mills on the Janiculum",Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome,Vol. 45, pp. 219–246. Downloaded fromJSTOR.

External links[edit]

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