University of Texas at Austin Department of Art and Art History

08/06/2026

Exciting news for the Department of Art and Art History! Art History professor Dr. John R. Clarke has his research featured on the cover of the August 2026 issue of National Geographic. John Clarke serves as co-director of the Oplontis Project alongside Michael L. Thomas, who received his Ph.D. from UT in 2001. Their work centers the multidisciplinary excavation and study of the ancient Roman seaside town, Oplontis.

This most recent issue of National Geographic looks at the work of Professor Clarke, Professor Thomas, and their wider team, including eight UT AAH alumni and two currently enrolled graduate students. The Oplontis Project explores sites impacted by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and provides new insights to the lives and deaths of ancient Romans.

04/22/2026

The Art and Art History Department is proud to announce that MFA alum, riel Sturchio, has been awarded a 2026 Guggengeim fellowship!

riel Sturchio received their MFA in Studio Art from UT in 2018. One of 76 Guggenheim fellowship recipients in visual art this year, Sturchio has been recognized by the Guggenheim foundation for outstanding work in photography. Please join us in congratulating them on this incredible, well-deserved achievement (& learn more at the link below)!

https://art.utexas.edu/news/mfa-alum-riel-sturchio-named-2026-guggenheim-fellow

Headshot by Thalassa Raasch, arm model by Dr. Kanwal Matharu, 2026.
Works featured are by riel Sturchio

03/15/2026