The Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University receives a Major Award from the Getty Foundation

The Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University has been awarded a major grant from the Getty Foundation for the joint project Black Mediterranean/ Mediterraneo Nero - Artistic Encounters and Counter-narratives/ Incontri artistici e contronarrazioni, as part of the Getty Foundation's Connecting Art Histories initiative.

Black Mediterranean/ Mediterraneo Nero is a joint project between Professor Avinoam Shalem at the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University and Professor Alina Payne, Villa I Tatti, Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence. It aims to critically revisit the histories and historiographies of the Mediterranean, paying particular attention to the contributions of the African continent to the cultures of the “Inland Sea”. The project encompasses the major centers and routes between Europe and Africa along the Mediterranean coasts, while also exploring routes or crossroads connecting Central Africa to the Mediterranean within three main zones: east, central and west Africa.

This multi-year project consists of Exploratory Seminars, Workshops, and Masterclasses and of Fellowships and Visiting Professorships (based at the Villa I Tatti).

Thanks to the vital support of the Getty Foundation, we expect that the energy of the program will leave behind a strong imprint and encourage the continuation of links—including fellowships and research projects—with African countries.