Pinned to a bulletin board in Douglas Rosenberg’s office in the Humanities Building is a white piece of paper with black, bold lettering that reads: “Art for the 21st Century.” It’s a simple reminder to the professor and chair of UW– Madison’s Art Department of his ongoing commitment to examining innovative ways to move his programs forward.
“Art departments are built on historical models,” says Rosenberg, who has chaired the department since September 2015. “These aren’t bad models but there is constant evolution and change in the field. Our challenge is to honor our past while evolving into an art department for the 21st century.”