Hallie Cohen

Hallie Cohen is Professor of Art and former Chair (2004–2017) of the Department of Art and Art History at Marymount Manhattan College, where she has taught since 1974. She is also the Director of the Hewitt Gallery of Art (2013–present), curating interdisciplinary exhibitions that explore identity, migration, trauma, and the imagination. She earned her M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art and B.F.A. from the Tyler School of Art.

• B.F.A., Tyler School of Art
• M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art

Her artistic practice centers on watercolor, ink on Yupo paper, and installation, with major series like RNA, hy·drog·ra·phy, and overmyhead investigating fluidity, topography, and the intersection of art with science and memory. As a curator, she has organized over 20 exhibitions at the Philoctetes Center and the Hewitt Gallery, including Making Visible: Migration & Identity and The Aesthetics of Math.

The recent publications and artistic works reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, merging visual art with themes from neuroscience, hydrology, and literary theory. Her work often engages with scientific concepts metaphorically, using abstract forms to represent DNA, water systems, and cognitive processes. The publications span art theory, design, and digital media, indicating a broad intellectual reach.

Her scientific and artistic honors include:

• Henry Walters Traveling Fellowship

Professor Cohen has been a Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome annually from 2015 to 2020 and in 2022. She is a founding member of the Retrogarde artists’ group and represented by Fox Gallery NYC. Her curatorial and creative work demonstrates sustained engagement with grants, exhibitions, and public programs, though specific grant details are not listed. She has contributed to video series on creativity for Columbia Business School and served as a prize nominator for the Lotos Foundation.

She leads the Hewitt Gallery of Art and has curated extensively at the Philoctetes Center for the Multidisciplinary Study of Imagination, fostering dialogue between art, science, and philosophy through innovative exhibitions.