William Wylie

William Wylie is the Commonwealth Professor of Art at the University of Virginia, affiliated with the Department of Art in the School of Architecture. He has been a core faculty member since 2000 and serves as director of the Study Abroad Program in Italy, teaching photography in tandem with art history each summer. His work spans photography and video, exploring how landscapes are transformed by natural and human forces.

Research Interests: Wylie’s artistic and scholarly focus lies in landscape transformation, visual perception, and cultural memory. Through long-term photographic projects, he investigates sites ranging from American rivers and highways to ancient ruins in Pompeii and marble quarries in Carrara, Italy. His work blends aesthetic precision with deep engagement in environmental and historical contexts, often highlighting subtle changes in terrain, light, and materiality.

His publications and exhibitions reflect a sustained inquiry into how visual media document and interpret place. Themes of temporality, fragility, and human intervention recur across his projects, from Route 36 to Pompeii Archive. His photographic books are widely recognized as significant contributions to contemporary art and visual scholarship.

Scientific and Artistic Awards:

• Guggenheim Fellowship in Photography (2005)
• VMFA Professional Fellowship (2011)
• Doran Artist in Residence (Sol LeWitt Foundation and Yale University Art Museum, 2012 and 2015)
• Mead Honored Faculty Award at UVA (2003)

Advising and Grants: While specific advisees are not named, Wylie has mentored numerous students through studio courses, photography instruction, and the Italy Study Abroad Program. He has received competitive fellowships and artist residencies, including at the American Academy in Rome and the Center for Land Use Interpretation, supporting sustained creative research. His work is held in major museum collections, indicating national recognition and institutional support.

Labs and Creative Teams: Wylie leads collaborative efforts in the Italy program, integrating photography with art historical study. His studio-based practice involves technical and conceptual development of photographic series, often requiring fieldwork, archival research, and digital or film production. Though not part of a formal lab, his creative team includes collaborators in curation, publishing, and exhibition design.