Gabrielle Russomagno

Gabrielle Russomagno is an American photographer and multi-disciplinary artist currently serving on the BFA faculty at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City, where she teaches in the Humanities and Sciences division within the BFA Photography and Video department. Her artistic practice spans decades with international exhibitions and significant recognition including inclusion in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, Yale University Beineke Library, and the Bibliothèque Nationale.

Her educational background includes a BA in Studio Art and American Studies from Smith College (1985) and an MFA in Photography from Yale School of Art (1989). Russomagno has also taught at numerous institutions including Yale University, Rhode Island School of Design, The Cooper Union, University of the Arts, Drexel University, Smith College, Amherst College, and the University of Virginia.

Russomagno's research interests focus on the intersection of art and environmental crisis, particularly climate change. Her recent work materializes complex narratives about planetary warming through photography, installation art, and site-specific earthworks. She explores themes of carbon cycling in boreal forests, grassland ecosystems, water systems, and the emotional landscape of environmental change. Her practice bridges scientific research with artistic expression, often collaborating with climate scientists to translate data into visual forms that communicate the urgency of ecological transformation.

Her recent exhibition history reveals a significant shift toward environmental themes, particularly since 2019, with multiple iterations of climate-focused projects including 'The Quiet & The Mighty,' 'A Quick and Tragic Thaw,' and 'Weight of Water.' These works demonstrate her commitment to using artistic practice as a means of environmental communication and advocacy, often incorporating scientific data and field research into visually compelling installations.

• Alice Kimball English Traveling Fellowship, Yale University
• Woodwell Climate Research Center Art-Science Fellowship
• Artist in Residence, Woodwell Climate Institute, National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research Station
• Artist in Residence, Arts Afield, MacLeish Field Station
• Artist Residency at Lafayette College
• Artist Residency at Les Tapies, Ardeche, France
• Kast Foundation Grant for Buh Gullah: Perspectives of Sea Isle Culture

Russomagno has maintained an active role in both academic and professional spheres, co-founding the art collaborative TangenT in 2008 which focuses on immersive installations exploring social and political themes. Through her firm Coaching for Creatives, she provides strategic guidance to individuals in creative fields. Her production photography work for independent films including 'Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,' 'Beach Rats,' and 'We The Animals' demonstrates her versatility across artistic mediums.

Her current artistic practice involves significant collaboration with scientific institutions, particularly evident in her work with the Woodwell Climate Research Center and National Science Foundation projects. The 'Quiet & The Mighty' series emerged from her 2022 residency with the Arctic Natural Sciences project examining carbon cycling in Alaskan boreal forests, demonstrating her commitment to bridging art and science in addressing climate change.