Digital Humanities / Digital Exhibitions

Digital Humanities / Digital Exhibitions (DH / DX) at Bard Graduate Center is a comprehensive curricular approach to decorative arts, design history, and material culture studies that leverages emerging digital tools and methodologies to support the creation and investigation of new modes of scholarship in the human sciences.

DH / DX begins in the classroom with BGC’s Digital Literacy Initiative, a program that actively seeks creative solutions to object-based research challenges and trains all students to use a variety of digital tools. Students then implement these skills in their own research and have opportunities to collaborate on course-based projects such as BGC’s Focus Exhibitions. This wide array of projects includes multimedia online exhibitions, location-based applications, 3D printing and modeling, mapping, and extended and mixed-reality (AR / VR) experiences, with a particular focus on the development of interactive features for galleries, museums, and cultural heritage institutions.

To support this work, students have access to BGC’s Digital Media Lab (DML), a well-equipped space with significant hardware and software resources that serves as a hub for digital project development, training, and collaboration within the institution. In addition, throughout the year, an extensive offering of digital-focused workshops, lunchtime talks, and events further connects the BGC community to important conversations, projects, and professionals from cultural and academic institutions in New York City and beyond. Merandy and educational technologist Julie Fuller host workshops on 3D printing, WordPress website creation, and SketchUp model-making that help students expand their research. They also offer photo, video, and audio equipment and demonstrations so students feel comfortable using the equipment. Merandy notes, “Each year students come in with different interests and abilities.”

In April, DH / DX held a Digital Media Lab Salon during which BGC students presented their recent projects, illustrating the inventive and diverse ways that students are using digital tools in their research. The salon was an excellent showcase of the breadth of work supported by DH / DX. The presentations at this year’s salon included digital interactives included in the Staging the Table in Europe 1500–1800 exhibition, websites created for coursework including Catherine Whalen’s “Americana Redux” and “Women Designers” courses, and student-made exhibition mockups.