We are proud to announce the opening of two new exhibitions at the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University. Current Forms: Ohio Figurative Ceramics in the Douglass and McKie Galleries, as well as Experiencing the Divine: Devotional Practices of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in the Farmer Gallery will be open from Tuesday, January 24 through Saturday, June 10.

Current Forms is a survey of figurative ceramics from artists with Ohio connections co-curated by Jason E. Shaiman, Richard W. James, Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Miami University and Kourtney Stone, Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Harrisburg Area Community College, Pennsylvania. Current Forms, featuring 26 works created by 16 artists, presents viewers with a range of subject matter, media, and psychological and sociological concepts connected with the figure. The exhibition and programs are supported with an ArtSTART grant from the Ohio Arts Council. This exhibition was developed in conjunction with NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference which will take place March 16-20, 2023 in Cincinnati. Programs associated with the exhibition include artists Kelly and Kyle Phelps who will be speaking on the topic of Blue Collar Ceramics taking place at the Art Museum on April 12, 5PM. 

Experiencing the Divine is an exhibition that explores religious devotional practices and based on research conducted by students enrolled in Dr. Andrew Casper’s fall 2022 Art and Architecture History Capstone class. The exhibition is the product of a collaboration between the class and our museum staff. It features artwork related to three Abrahamic religions—Islam, Judaism, and Christianity—and provides visitors with insight into how devotion has been expressed across time through artworks that represent these traditions both past and in the present day. We are particularly grateful to the Cincinnati Skirball Museum, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion for lending a number of objects to the museum for this exhibition. Programs associated with this exhibition include: a reception with gallery talks by the student-curators on February 8 from 5-7 PM and a panel discussion with three local faith leaders on March 8, 5PM.

For the reception and gallery talks the students will discuss the development of the exhibition and the research they conducted on  featured objects.

Featured panelists for the interfaith dialogue  include Imam Sh. Hossam Musa, Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati;Sr. Rabbi Meredith Kahan, Kehal Kodesh Bene Israel (Rockdale Temple), Cincinnati; and The Reverend Julie Blake Fisher, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Oxford. 

The exhibition is supported by the Department of Art within the College of Creative Arts at Miami University and the Miriam W. Howard Art Museum Fund. 

We are also grateful to the support of the Art Museum Membership Association [Learn more about joining]. 

Our ongoing exhibitions currently on view are Art History at a Glance, Global Perspectives, the Charles M. Messer Leica Camera Collection and our outdoor Sculpture Park.  

Our gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 10 AM-5 PM, Saturdays from Noon-5 PM, and the second Wednesday of each month from 10 AM-8 PM.

This season we invite you all to come explore our new exhibits here at the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University – where you can dive deep into 5,000 years of global visual culture and enjoy beautiful artworks along your journey!