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Pia GottschallerView profile

Professor

• Technical Art History
• Postwar Painting Practice
• Latin American Art
• +5 more

Dr. Pia Gottschaller is a Reader in Technical Art History at The Courtauld Institute of Art, specializing in postwar and contemporary painting practices with a focus on Latin America, the US, and Europe. She holds academic affiliations with The Courtauld’s Department of Conservation and the Centre for the Art of the Americas. Her interdisciplinary career spans over 20 years in museums, conservation, and research, including roles at Harvard Art Museums, Tate, and The Menil Collection. She currently teaches across art history, conservation, and curatorial programs, including her MA Special Option Painters in the Studio, 1945 to Now . Education: Studied at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, The Courtauld Institute, and Technische Universität Munich, combining art history and material studies. Research Interests: Technical analysis of artistic materials, migration of artistic ideas, and intersections of science/industry with art. Key themes include material innovation in postwar painting, transnational art exchanges, and the role of materiality in artistic processes. Publications: Over 60 works including books like Unruly Tools (2026), Lucio Fontana: The Artist’s Materials (2012), and numerous essays on artists like Fontana, Palermo, and contemporary practitioners. Recent trends focus on global contemporary painting techniques and material culture. Awards: Honored with Getty Conservation Scholarship (2021), Caroline Villers Fellowship (2012-13), and Postdoc Fellowship at Bibliotheca Hertziana (2005-7). Serves on editorial boards of Woman’s Art Journal and collaborates with groups like the Sculptural Processes Group. Advising & Grants: Supervises PhD students in modern art studies and leads multi-year research projects on Latin American concrete art. Current research includes a Getty-funded book on unconventional tools in global contemporary painting. Labs/Teams: Active in The Courtauld Centre for the Art of the Americas, AG Materialität(en), and the Art | Material | Ecology working group. Co-hosts Artist’s Talk series with Prof. Jo Applin.

Lex LancasterView profile

Assistant Professor

• Queer Abstraction
• Contemporary Art Theory
• Transgender Visual Culture
• +2 more

Lex Lancaster is Assistant Professor of Art History at The Cooper Union specializing in queer and trans visual culture. Their 2022 monograph 'Dragging Away' establishes foundational theories of queer abstraction as political practice. Research Focus: Lancaster examines how formal strategies in art generate anti-racist, transgender, and crip political tactics. Their work challenges representational logics through analyses of artists like Lorna Simpson, Linda Besemer, and Carrie Yamaoka. Scholarly Contributions: Developed 'dragging' as critical methodology for abstract forms Curatorial work on Queer Abstraction exhibitions Articles in Discourse, ASAP/Journal, and Journal of Visual Culture Education: Ph.D. in Art History, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Patricia SmithenView profile

Assistant Professor

• Art Conservation
• Art History
• Art Theory and Analysis
• +3 more

Patricia Smithen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History and Art Conservation at Queen’s University. She holds a PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art (2019) and a MAC from Queen’s University (1993). Her career includes roles as Head of Paintings Conservation and Head of Conservation at the Tate, where she developed conservation strategies and managed teams. She specializes in modern and contemporary art conservation, particularly acrylic paints. Her research focuses on the technical analysis of artworks by artists like Anselm Kiefer and Mark Rothko. She currently runs Smithen Contemporary Conservation, offering expert services in conservation and exhibition management. Education: PhD, Art History, Criticism and Conservation, Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London (2019) MAC, Paintings Conservation, Queen’s University (1993) BA, Art History and Critical Theory, University of Western Ontario Research Interests: Conservation science of modern/contemporary art, acrylic paint development, technical analysis of paintings, and preservation strategies for 20th-century artworks. Her work bridges historical art analysis and practical conservation challenges. Professional Contributions: Organized the 2006 “Modern Paints Uncovered” conference Lead researcher in the Tate AXA Art Modern Paints Research Project Co-authored influential works on conservation practices and modern art materials Consultation and Services: Provides expert conservation advice, exhibition planning, and educational programs for museums and private collectors.

Aiga DzalbeView profile

Assistant Professor

• Art History
• Art Criticism
• Visual Art Terminology
• +3 more

Aiga Dzalbe is an art historian, critic, and Assistant Professor at the Department of Art History, Latvian Academy of Arts. She has been actively contributing to art discourse in Latvia since 1999 through publications in outlets like Kultūras Forums , Studija , and Kultūras Diena . Research Interests: Aiga focuses on the recent art history of Latvia and neighboring regions, art criticism, and the development of visual art vocabulary and terminology. Her work bridges historical contexts with contemporary practices, particularly in Baltic and Near Eastern art. Professional Activities: She collaborates on curatorial projects, including the Riga Photography Biennial, and has authored numerous exhibition catalogues for venues such as Riga Art Space and Daugavpils Mark Rothko Centre. Aiga also serves as a visual art expert on juries for awards like the Purvītis Award 2017 and the Jānis Baltvilks Award in Children's Literature and Book Art (2014, 2015, 2017). Teaching: At the Latvian Academy of Arts, she teaches courses such as Communication Theory and Practice , Ancient Russian and Russian Art , and Problems of Contemporary Art Criticism in Latvia , fostering critical thinking and public engagement among students.