Venice Captured in Art: Undergraduate Curators Bring New Light to Iconic City

Written by Chloe Borgida '25

Academics
A group of thirteen people, including students and faculty, pose together in an academic setting. They are dressed in casual and semi-formal attire, standing in front of framed artwork and display cases. The group includes individuals of diverse backgrounds, with various hairstyles and clothing styles. Some are smiling, while others have neutral expressions. The setting appears to be a classroom or gallery space, with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Last month, we had the opportunity to meet with students from the History of Art and Architecture program as they explored artworks to include in their student-curated exhibit.

As part of Professor Monika Schmitter’s Curating Views of Venice class, undergraduate students collaborate to curate their own art exhibit. When asked about the origins of the idea, Schmitter explained:

Monika Schmitter gestures expressively while speaking to two students in an indoor academic setting. The students, both young women wearing red sweaters, stand attentively. One has long red hair and a black bandana, while the other has dark brown hair pulled back. Behind them, a grayscale artwork is displayed on the wall, and the setting suggests a discussion or presentation.

“I regularly teach a Gen Ed course called ‘Venice: Art, History, Environment.’ For the course, I had compiled a list of objects in the Five College collections depicting Venice, which students could analyze. I realized that there were a tremendous number of images of Venice in the Five Colleges' collections. From there, the two ideas merged, and I thought, ‘Why not create an exhibition of these images?’ These works, mostly by American and British artists, focus on the more modern representations of Venice, particularly from the 18th century and beyond. It seemed like an ideal topic for undergraduates to research. I also thought that offering this exhibition as a follow-up course to the GenEd would provide students with the necessary background on Venice, aiding them in curating the show. That’s how the project came about.”

The project is a collaboration with the Museums of the Five Colleges. Students will select paintings, prints, photographs, and drawings from the collections of the Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA), the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College (the Mead), and the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum (MHCAM) to be featured in the exhibit. We joined them at the Mead, where Miloslava (Mila) Hruba, Study Room Manager and European Print Specialist at the Mead, guided the students through the collection, sharing insights into printmaking techniques and processes.

Miloslava Hruba, Study Room Manager and European Print Specialist at Mead Art Museum gestures as she speaks to two students in front of framed black-and-white artwork. The students, seen from behind, attentively listen; one is wearing a dark red top, and the other wears a floral-patterned outfit. The setting appears to be an art gallery or exhibition space with a focus on historical or architectural prints.

The students examined the artworks with great attention, considering color, cohesion, and the visual impact of each piece both individually and as part of the larger collection. “We’re still brainstorming ideas, but we’re definitely focusing on water and reflections. We really want to do something new, and include representations of people; the actual people of Venice, not just touristic views,” said Arlo Kellie, a senior History of Art and Architecture major.

Two students respectively, are looking at something out of frame to the left, while another person with dark hair pulled back is looking at a framed picture on the wall in a room with light-colored, horizontally paneled walls.

In this class of twelve, each student will research and write about two of the works featured in the installation. After each museum tour, the group gathers to discuss their discoveries, share ideas, and draw connections. Schmitter noted, “I love seeing the students be so engaged in it. It’s their project, you know, and I'm just along for the ride.” The students demonstrated a remarkable level of confidence in articulating their opinions and engaging in thoughtful debate, reflecting an environment where young professionals feel encouraged to express their expertise. Their approach was both professional and infused with a youthful energy that combined maturity and enthusiasm in a captivating way.

The History of Art and Architecture students are seated around a white rectangular table in a room with light-colored, horizontally paneled walls and several framed pieces of artwork displayed along the wall. The people are of various appearances and are engaged in what appears to be a meeting or discussion. Some are looking at each other, while others are looking down at notebooks on the table.

One of the standout elements of the class is its collaboration with the Five College community. “We’re so fortunate to have met so many incredible people,” remarked Kate Zelley, a junior History of Art and Architecture major. Dr. Schmitter has worked closely with Dr. Danielle Carrabino, Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the SCMA, and is deeply appreciative of the collaboration: “It's terrific to work with Danielle and it's been incredibly open minded of the Smith Museum to collaborate so closely with a UMass class.” Schmitter is hopeful that this initiative will pave the way for further collaboration between the Five College art museums:

 “The people at the museums have been very welcoming and helpful with the students. It's been great. Although the Five College museums share a collections database, there are definitely bureaucratic and financial hurdles to more thorough Five College cooperation in creating installations and exhibitions.  I'm hopeful that our installation may lead to more of that.”

A student stands with their back to the viewer, looking at two framed pieces of artwork displayed on a shelf against a wall with horizontal paneling.

As the semester unfolds, students will keep working hard to choose pieces that truly reflect the essence of Venice. The team would like to express their gratitude to Five Colleges Inc. for their generous support and for covering additional expenses connected to the class.

The exhibit is scheduled to open on September 13th, 2025 and run until March 22nd, 2026 at the Smith College Museum of Art in the Nixon Gallery, second floor.

To continue supporting Dr. Schmitter, Dr. Carrabino and the student curators, please consider donating to the Department of The History of Art and Architecture MinuteFund.

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