Art Venues on Campus

It is a commonly held and oft-repeated belief that students come to Columbia not only for the school itself, but also for the wider cultural education New York City provides. Visual art is, of course, one of the pillars of the city’s cultural offerings. But it is all too easy to cast your eyes to the Met or the MoMA and overlook the visual-art venues here on campus. Campus venues are almost never crowded, and provide convenient escapes from frenzied Columbia life. They are all over campus—you just need to know where to look.

The Wallach Art Gallery
For those who like their exhibitions small, narrowly focused, and history-based, the Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery is the best campus option. Despite having the same name as a campus dorm, Wallach is located on the top floor of Schermerhorn Hall, and it only sees crowds during exhibition openings and art history class tours. It houses temporary shows organized by students, faculty, and visiting scholars. Last year’s offerings ranged from a selection of 20th century prints by female artists to a collection of masks from Mozambique. The gallery’s exhibitions are often interesting, usually random, and always cerebral.

Postcrypt Art Gallery
Columbia’s only gallery exclusively dedicated to undergraduate art, Postcrypt is housed in the basement of St. Paul’s Chapel. And while the artsy crowd that frequents the venue may be intimidating to some, it is a misconception that skinny jeans and American Apparel are required for entry. The gallery hosts three to four theme-driven student art exhibitions every semester. Despite its location in a church basement, Postcrypt isn’t afraid to push the envelope. Last year’s “Naked Show”—which, as the title implies, featured art that examined what it means to be naked—proved that Postcrpyt isn’t afraid to add a little irreverence to its reverent surroundings.

The LeRoy Neiman Gallery
LeRoy Neiman is to Postcrypt what bleu cheese is to cheddar: a little older, a little more sophisticated, and a little less accessible to a broad audience. But, like bleu cheese, there’s nothing better if you’re in the right mood. LeRoy Neiman is associated with the School of the Arts, and houses work by current MFA students, alumni, and the occasional undergraduate. From time to time more prominent names will also grace the walls: Whitney Museum of American Art darlings Kara Walker and Beth Campbell both have shown their work at LeRoy Neiman. While the contemporary-art skeptic may not be enchanted with this gallery, the Dodge Hall venue touts some of the University’s more avant-garde offerings.

The Italian Academy
The Italian Academy is one of the best-kept secrets on Columbia’s campus. And it’s too bad it has stayed secret for so long—the classic six-story Casa Italiana, located on Amsterdam Avenue between 117th and 118th streets, hosts several wonderful exhibitions each semester. It is also the home of the Premio New York, a prestigious prize awarded to two emerging Italian artists whose work is exhibited at the academy. The academy displays work by various Italian artists throughout the year, sometimes borrowed from other locations around the city. The venue enables viewers to glimpse work they might otherwise have to cross the ocean—or at least the park—to see.

Other campus venues to check out:
Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery in Buell Hall, Macy Gallery at Teachers College, The Rotunda at Low Library, Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Butler Library, Guastavino Lounge in St. Paul’s Chapel.