Laurence Kardish

The School for Studies in Art and Culture, Film Studies is pleased to announce that they will holding an informal talk on film curating and programming by Carleton alumnus and longtime senior curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Laurence Kardish at 1:30pm on October 8th, in Room 472 of the St Patrick’s Building.

In 2010, Kardish was awarded was awarded an honorary doctorate by Carleton University in recognition of his distinguished career and oustanding contribution to film and arts culture worldwide and for his continuing devotion to Canadian cinema and Carleton University.

Given Kardish’s role as a senior curator at MoMA, and his career as a film writer, director and producer this talk by one of Carleton’s most influential graduates is sure to provide invaluable information to those students who one day aspire to be part of the film world.

from the Huffington Post:

“Kardish started out as a lowly curatorial assistant in 1968, but quickly made his mark on the institution through his breadth and depth of knowledge about film and the work of auteur filmmakers worldwide. He’s championed Weimar-era German films, 60s avant-garde productions, and French films from all eras, and was a part of the selection committee on the New Directors/New Films festival since its inception in 1972. He also co-wrote a book, titled, Weimar Cinema, 1919-1933: Daydreams and Nightmares to accompany a four month, 81-film program at MoMA in 2010.”

Learn more about Laurence Kardish: http://cualumni.carleton.ca/grads/kardish-laurence/

Visit the Film Studies website:  http://www.carleton.ca/filmstudies/

Dean Osborne & Nancy Broden.

When Nancy Broden completed her art history degree at Carleton University in 1991, she had no idea she would become the design lead on the revenue team at Twitter. On Friday, Sept. 20, she shared her story with Carleton alumni, staff and faculty as part of the event My job at Twitter: #TheBAatWork – hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)…Read more

Led by Professor Tomer Lev of Tel Aviv, this group of world-class virtuoso pianists will play classic works by Mozart, Poulenc, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Rossini, Levanon and Bach-Vivaldi which have been reimagined for a performance by many hands.

This is a unique opportunity to experience an exceptional multiple-hand piano repertoire by some of Israel’s most accomplished and distinguished young musicians in ever-changing combinations using one and two pianos with four, six and eight hands.

The concert will be held on the closing day of the first-ever Power of the Arts conference presented by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Michaëlle JeanFoundation.

Carleton University is proud to co-present this concert in collaboration with the Vered Israel Cultural and Educational program, the Embassy of Israel in Canada, Ottawa Pianos, and the Canada-Israel Cultural Foundation.

The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music is a division of Tel-Aviv University that is run in collaboration with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music is named after its patron, Zubin Mehta, the great Israeli conductor. Tel Aviv University is widely regarded as Israel’s most renowned institute for music study.

Multi-Piano Extravaganza: works for two pianos (4, 6 and 8 hands)
Professor Tomer Lev and pianists from Tel Aviv University’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music
Works by Mozart, Poulenc, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Rossini, Levanon and Bach-Vivaldi
Sunday, September 29, 5:30 pm, Kailash Mital Theatre
General Admission: $30
Power of the Arts conference delegates: $20 (at the door)
Students: $15

McCarthy poses by Castle Rising.

In completing a Master’s degree, research work often culminates as a very personal endeavour.

After all, graduate students dedicate a significant portion of their lives towards one specific area of focus. Subsequently, many grad students begin viewing their research as an extension of themselves. It is very likely that this phase of a student’s academic journey will have a lifelong imprint.

For Master of Art History student, Meghan McCarthy, her research site holds an added bit of sentimental value. This past spring, McCarthy’s boyfriend proposed to her on their visit to the subject of her Research Essay – Hedingham Castle. 

Fast-forward a few months and McCarthy is now an engaged graduate of Carleton’s Master’s in Art History.

All of this began in 2010 when McCarthy made the decision to return to University after a self-imposed two-year hiatus from academics. Upon completion of her undergrad degree from Western (a Double Honours Major in Art History and Psychology), McCarthy began working as a bartender. It was a nice position for a time; however, after a couple of years, she missed the rigors and trials of life as a university student.  

“I missed using my brain and I missed art history,” said McCarthy. “So, I applied to Carleton’s Masters of Art History program and enrolled in a few courses at Western to boost my average and get recent references. One of those courses was a Romanesque and Gothic course. This is when I fell in love with the Middle Ages.”

Soon after, McCarthy entered the MA Art History program at Carleton.

In her second year enrolled in a Directed Reading with Professor Peter Coffman, McCarthy discovered which subject she wanted to research – English medieval castles. This was one of the many decisions Coffman helped McCarthy make.  Through her entire MA, Coffman functioned as a steadying force for McCarthy.

“Professor Coffman really made my MA experience the amazing journey that it was. He is a perfect example of how a supervisor can help facilitate a positive and rewarding student experience. Professor Coffman is one of the major reasons I chose Carleton based on his expertise in medieval architecture in the first place, and played a tremendous role in my success. The entire department was always so helpful and supportive.”

Coffman introduced McCarthy to distinguished Art History scholar and Anglo-Norman castle expertMalcolm Thurlby. Thurlby teaches at Toronto’s York University, but in a fortunate turn of events for McCarthy’s research, Thurlby accepted a position as Adjunct Professor at Carleton University in 2012.

McCarthy knew she wanted to learn more about the architecture of English medieval castles, but was uncertain about the specific site she should study. After much contemplation, McCarthy made the decision to explore one of Thurlby’s suggestions – the well-preserved, largely unstudied Hedingham Castle of Essex, England. Having Thurlby as a newfound and proximal resource helped her decide to focus her directed reading paper on the protuberant Anglo-Norman great tower, built in approximately 1140.

Hedingham Castle.

In one of the many meetings between Thurlby and McCarthy, Thurlby recommended that she take a visit to Essex to view and study Hedingham in person. As odd as it might sound, this concept had never occurred to McCarthy. Although it seemed like a fantastic opportunity, McCarthy was initially unsure of how she could budget this sort of ambitious peregrination. Thankfully, she had a great team in her corner.

“Malcolm and Peter were my best possible cheerleaders,” explains McCarthy. “Malcolm talked to Dean Osborne (a fellow medievalist) about the potential funding situation, and talked to Peter about switching from the Course Work masters stream to the Research Essay stream so that I could apply for funding and continue my research in the winter term.”

In her Directed Reading paper, McCarthy had been asking important questions about Hedingham, and had already proven her contributions to an unjustifiably parched area of study. There had also been a recently released scholarly article on Hedingham with which she disagreed. With all this in mind, Coffman and the department approved her stream switch.

Soon after, McCarthy applied for funding to go to England, and was successful.

“I was very lucky with how much funding I got – nearly my entire trip was covered! Incredible!”

McCarthy asked her boyfriend, Andrew Paterson, if he wanted to accompany her across the pond, to which she received an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

Paterson is a captain in the military. He served as a platoon commander in Afghanistan, has received a Mention in Dispatches for his work there, and has been working in a reserve unit since returning to Canada. He has recently made the decision to leave the military to begin law school in the fall. 

Paterson had heard so much about Hedingham Castle, and was excited to see it. But more than that, the trip offered him the sublime opportunity to ask the most important question of his life. 

Without realizing the impact her research trip would have on her, McCarthy, along with Paterson, packed their bags and left for England in March of 2013.

McCarthy organized her trip so she could study a variety of Anglo-Norman castles other than Hedingham, including Colchester, Framlingham, Orford, Rochester, Castle Rising, and Norwich.

When they first arrived at Hedingham, McCarthy was relieved to learn how supportive and facilitating the castle’s staff was. She didn’t know it at the time, but this was an even greater relief to Paterson! 

The couple spent two days scrutinizing and photographing as much of Hedingham as possible; a dream come true for McCarthy.

Inside the castle.

A considerable portion of McCarthy’s research revolved around trying to interpret Hedingham’s original interior layout/function. To do this, McCarthy knew that it was necessary to scale the castle’s very high roof; one that is not open to tourists and has no railing to keep you from falling off the edge.

The roof of Hedingham Castle.

The prospect of walking on the roof was frightening, but was a task McCarthy deemed compulsory. On their own, McCarthy and Andrew gained permission and access to the roof through one of the remaining corner turrets.

The risk was one that paid instant dividends. The high vantage point gave the couple a gorgeous view of the English countryside in every direction.  Naturally, McCarthy vigorously began snapping photos. With her face glued to her camera as she staggered haphazardly to capture as many images as she could, McCarthy asked Paterson if they could get a photo of the two of them on the rooftop. The moment that McCarthy turned around, she realized her life was about to change.

“He got down on one knee and said something akin to (I can’t remember the words exactly), ‘for sure we can, but first: Meg, will you marry me?’ As he said it, Paterson had taken a small black box out of his pocket. And as he kneeled, he opened the box…to show me a beautiful diamond ring. The ring that he proposed with was the ring that his grandfather proposed to his grandmother with 70 years ago exactly, in England.”

Having been so submerged in her research trip, McCarthy was completely surprised by the proposal. It was not until Andrew was down on one knee that it hit her that they could not have been placed in a more romantic setting.  

“I was overwhelmed and so thrilled! I had known I wanted to marry him for a while. I said yes instantly. It was the happiest, most perfect moment of my life.”

Having now graduated, and months into her engagement, McCarthy looks back on her previous year with absolute astonishment.

“At the beginning of the school year in September 2012, I would never have dreamed that I would be going to England to study a medieval castle – let alone come back engaged.”

McCarthy & Paterson

What’s next for McCarthy? Based on her love of teaching and TAing, she is currently contemplating a PhD in Art History. In the meantime, she has just accepted a position in the Senate of Canada to work with a team to research and catalogue the art and artifacts of Canada’s Gothic Parliament Buildings.

McCarthy, surrounded by the remains of Framlingham Castle in Suffolk, England.

Nancy Broden

Nancy Broden, Honours B.A. Art History, 1991, is the Design Lead on the Revenue Team at Twitter. Drawing on her extensive professional experience, Broden will discuss the role that her Carleton B.A. degree has played in her outstanding career, and how she has put her stamp on our ever-changing world. FASS and FPA welcome all alumni, faculty, staff, and students to celebrate the power of the arts degree along with Nancy Broden.

“Curiosity and persistence got me pretty far, but I got much farther with the critical thinking skills I honed at Carleton.”

Friday, September 20, 2013
River Building Theatre, River Building
7:30 pm Presentation, featuring Nancy Broden
8:40 pm Reception, River Building Atrium
Seating is limited. Advanced registration is recommended. Please register here.

Dean Osborne receiving his medals at the Italian Embassy.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Professor of Art History and Humanities, John Osborne has been invested as a Cavaliere of the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana by the Italian Ambassador for his exceptional research contributions to the study of Italian medieval material culture.

Dean Osborne’s award of Cavaliere of the Ordine al Merito, which roughly translates to “Knight of the Order  of  Merit of Italy,” is among that country’s  most prestigious honours – a nomination akin to being knighted by the Queen in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.

“I am very deeply honoured,” said Osborne. “Italy has played a huge role in my life since I first discovered it at age 18, on a Canadian university course held in Venice.”

Evidently, Osborne’s first trip to Italy had a profound impact on him. After returning from his trip to Venice in 1970, he began his academic and professional journey by switching his B.A. major at Carleton to Art History. To this day, and to the great benefit of FASS students, Osborne remains a champion of studying abroad.

“That (summer in Venice) is one of the reasons why I now encourage Carleton programs to offer courses taught elsewhere in the spring session. Students return from such experiences with greater energy and greater focus. These are indeed life-changing moments.”

After graduating from Carleton, Osborne attended the University of Toronto where he completed an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in Medieval Studies. He followed this with a doctoral thesis at the University of London (Courtauld Institute of Art).

Dean Osborne has focused his research on the art and archaeology of Italy between the sixth and twelfth centuries, with a particular emphasis on the cities of Venice and Rome. His publications cover such diverse topics as the Roman catacombs, the topography of medieval Rome, saints’ cults, the fragmentary mural paintings from excavated churches such as San Clemente and S. Maria Antiqua, Venetian mosaics and sculpture, and the seventeenth-century antiquarian drawings of medieval monuments now preserved in the Royal Library at Windsor. Osborne has also published his work on the medieval understanding and use of Rome’s heritage of ancient buildings and statuary, as well as cultural ties between Italy and Byzantium.

Dean Osborne at the ceremony of conferral of his decoration of Knight of the Order to the Merit of the Republic of Italy. Seen here with Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado.

Since graduating from Carleton in 1973, Dean Osborne has spent part of every year in Rome. In 2006, the British School – where his research is based – appointed him as a Honourary Fellow. When asked for his sentiments on his exceptional achievement, Osborne said he preferred to let the words of the great English poet Robert Browning speak for him:

“Open my heart and you will see
Graved inside of it, ‘Italy’.
Such lovers old are I and she,
So it always was, so shall ever be.”

The Patrick Cardy Tribute Concert in support of the Patrick Cardy Fund for Studio A will be held at the Carleton University Art Gallery on June 3, 2013. This event is presented by Carleton’s Department of Music and is sponsored by the Carleton University Alumni Association.  All proceeds will go to the Patrick Cardy Fund to support the refurbishment of Studio A in the Department of Music.

During his 30 years at Carleton, Cardy spent countless hours teaching in Loeb A900, a teaching and performance space better known to Carleton music students and faculty as Studio A. According to his family, closest friends and colleagues, nothing would have pleased Cardy more than to know that funds donated in his memory would be used to support music students by restoring and refurbishing Studio A.

The event will feature performers including:

• Julie Nesrallah (mezzo-soprano)
• Roddy Elias (guitar)
• Cathy Baerg (flute)
• Elaine Keillor (piano)
• The Cosmos Saxophone Quartet (Mike Tremblay, Vince Rimbach, René Lavoie and Ian Babb)
• Suren Barry (piano)
• The Lisgar Collegiate String Ensemble (Trudy Bradley, conductor)
• Maghan McPhee (soprano)
• James Wright (piano)

Where: Carleton University Art Gallery
When: Monday, June 3, 2013
7:30 p.m. concert
9:00 p.m. reception
Cost: Tickets are $35 per person (includes concert and light reception with cash bar).
Registration and Program: http://forms.carleton.ca/advancement/patrick-cardy-tribute/

Parking: Pay and Display parking available in Lot 6.  See the campus map.
Online Donations: http://futurefunder.carleton.ca/projects/renovate-music-studio-a-in-tribute-to-patrick-cardy/

The cost to renovate Studio A is $50,000 to 60,000. The Department of Music is a priority for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the dean has already pledged $30,000 towards renovations. Together with some other available funds, this pledge brings the department more than halfway to its goal.

The department is calling on friends, family and former students of Cardy to help close the gap. They are aiming to raise approximately $20,000 to fully renovate the studio in Cardy’s honour.

For more information, email cu_proud@carleton.ca, or call 1-866-287-7683.

Watch Tiampo discuss the children experience of the Gutai exhibition.