Art historian and attorney Amy Herman will present a talk on how works of art can be used to sharpen observation, analysis and communication skills at West Virginia University on March 24.
Co-hosted by the Art Museum of WVU, WVU Health Sciences Center Office of Research and Graduate Education and WVU Department of Sociology and Anthropology, “The Art of Perception: Seeing What Matters,” will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Fukushima Auditorium at HSC North. A reception will precede the lecture at 5 p.m.
Herman conceived her Art of Perception seminar in 2000 when she was the Head of Education at The Frick Collection in New York City as a way to improve medical students' observation and communication skills with their patients. By showing people how to look closely at painting, sculpture and photography, Herman helps individuals hone their visual intelligence to recognize the most pertinent and useful information as well as recognize biases that impede decision making.
Herman subsequently adapted the program for a wide range of professionals and leads workshops around the world for first responders, military and medical professionals, and the intelligence community, including clients such as the New York City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Scotland Yard, the United States Secret Service, and several Fortune 500 companies.
“Having Amy Herman visit WVU is a wonderful interdisciplinary opportunity to demonstrate how works of art are able help all of us sharpen our visual intelligence—no matter our job, discipline or area of study,” said Todd J. Tubutis, director of the Art Museum. “The Art Museum of WVU’s collection is perfect for this kind of learning.”
Herman’s talk is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required for first-come, first-served seating and can be made at bit.ly/382Isew. During her visit to campus, Herman will also conduct special workshops at the Art Museum with criminology students as well as the WVU Forensics Club and WVU Police.
Before Herman founded The Art of Perception, she was director of educational development at Thirteen/WNET, the educational public television station serving New York and New Jersey, and Head of Education at The Frick Collection for more than ten years, where she oversaw all educational collaborations and community initiatives. Herman holds a BA in international affairs from Lafayette College, a JD from the National Law Center at George Washington University, and an MA in art history from Hunter College.
For More information on Herman, visit www.artfulperception.com.