Visual Arts

Explore exhibitions, artists, and visual works that enrich Harvard’s cultural and academic life.

Illuminated hanging sculptures resembling organic forms, casting warm light in a dim space.

Resculpting an Empire, Through Kitchen Scraps

Artists Enzo Camacho and Ami Lien turn a colonial symbol from Cambodia inside out.

by Lydialyle Gibson

Ancient Egyptian painted sarcophagus with detailed hieroglyphs and a woman's face.

Padimut at Harvard

A rare Egyptian mummy case is on display at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East.

by Nell Porter-Brown

A vase of yellow flowers on a table next to an orange and a glass.

There’s a New Sargent Painting in Town

Harvard Art Museums restores a rare glimpse of an American master.

by Schuyler Velasco

A photograph of the inside of the From Iran exhibit at the Harvard Peabody Museum

At Harvard’s Peabody Museum, Photos Reimagine Iranian History

Artist Azadeh Akhlaghi reconstructs moments of Iranian political upheaval in a series of meticulously staged images.

by Olivia Farrar

Five individuals are posed in a monochrome outdoor setting near a cinderblock building, some standing, some seated.

What the ‘Other Face’ of the U.S.-Mexico Border Looks Like

Photographer and writer Morgan Smith chronicles life beyond the violence in Ciudad Juárez and other Mexican towns.

by Lydialyle Gibson

Label showing the anatomy of a worker bee, featuring a detailed illustration.

Harvard Museum Spotlights Tiny Invertebrates

Science and art capture the microscopic natural world.

by Nell Porter-Brown

Three climbers seated on a snowy summit, surrounded by clouds, appearing contemplative.

These Harvard Mountaineers Braved Denali’s Wall of Ice

John Graham’s Denali Diary documents a dangerous and historic climb.

by Lydialyle Gibson

Older man in a green sweater holds a postcard in a warmly decorated office.

How a Harvard Hockey Legend Became a Needlepoint Artist

Joe Bertagna’s retirement project recreates figures from Boston sports history.

by Schuyler Velasco

Two bare-knuckle boxers fight in a ring, surrounded by onlookers in 19th-century attire.

England’s First Sports Megastar

A collection of illustrations capture a boxer’s triumphant moment. 

by Nell Porter-Brown

A stylized illustration of red coral branching from a gray base, resembling a fantastical entity.

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

by Lydialyle Gibson

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

by Lydialyle Gibson