ACCOMPLISHED CAREER branson retires after 28 years
When Johanna Branson, senior vice president for academic affairs, first arrived on campus
“The people here are so talented and it’s been such a privilege to work with them and help build this community.”
in 1972 to teach contemporary art part time, she knew immediately she didn’t want to leave. Now, twenty-eight years later, after helping MassArt grow into one of the nation’s top art
dean of graduate education, and chair of the
and design colleges, she feels it’s time.
exhibitions committee. Her research, which tackles a diversity of subjects, includes an
“I don’t know if most people have the oppor-
exhibit she considers her most important —
tunity over the course of their career to feel
Seeing Through “Paradise”: Artists and the
like they’ve been a part of something that’s
Terezin Concentration Camp, which debuted
progressively and constantly gotten better,”
brave and poignant drawings by Jewish
said Branson, who will retire at the end of June.
prisoners, discovered decades after the war
“The people here are so talented and it’s been
ended. Branson wrote the exhibition catalog
such a privilege to work with them and help
and helped organize the 1991 event — which
build this community.” In her current role, which she’s held since 1995, Branson has helped grow the academic programs, shape curriculum, build a diverse
received a rave review from the New York Times — with MassArt’s Michèle Furst and Jeffrey Keough. When she leaves in June, Branson said she’ll
faculty, improve the facilities, and keep
most miss the people at MassArt and the
the college true to its mission of offering a
thrill of seeing art as it’s being produced. But
comprehensive art and design program.
she’s also excited about “the opportunity to
Prior to transitioning into administration full - time, Branson taught art history and held a number of other posts — chair of the media and performing arts department, acting
improvise with my time and follow all these same interests, but in a different way.”