Marlene McCarty

Marlene McCarty is a Clinical Professor of Visual Arts at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University. She is a prominent visual artist and a founding member of Gran Fury, an AIDS activist collective known for public interventions blending art and advertising to challenge political neglect and advance LGBTQ+ visibility. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at the Venice Biennale, MoMA, and the Brooklyn Museum, with a 30-year retrospective at NYU’s 80WSE Gallery in 2010.

Her research and practice focus on socially engaged art, activism, and the intersection of art with public discourse. Awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, Pollack-Krasner Grant, and an honorary doctorate from Massachusetts College of Art (via Gran Fury). McCarty teaches in NYU’s Studio Art program, emphasizing contemporary art practices and their societal impact.