Vassar College Art Library

08/20/2026

08/15/2026

In 1920, Edith Roberts founded the Vassar Ecological Laboratory on an unused plot of land adjacent to Raymond Avenue. She later went on to head the renamed plant sciences department. Like many of her peers, Roberts embraced technological innovations to investigate the complexities of plant studies, becoming the first to capture images of plant cells using an electron microscope and discovering that chromoplasts produce vitamin A.

Roberts’s work, like many other scientists in her field, used image-capturing techniques to aid in the scientific discovery of plants. The Botanist explores the intersections between these two fields and how the two have worked in tandem to uncover new modes of expression and discovery.

Experience “The Botanist” through October 4. This exhibition brings together a diverse array of paintings, drawings, and photographs paired with rare books and archival objects to explore the intersections of science and art.
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“Edith Roberts in her office at Vassar College,” 1940s, gelatin silver print, Courtesy of the Vassar Biology Department, SL2026.2.6

07/26/2026

In response to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s announcement this evening on the passage of the unassembled vote to move forward with a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding revisions to the regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, “Protection of Historic Properties,” 36 CFR Part 800, National Trust President and CEO Brent Leggs issued the following statement:

“We are not shocked—but saddened—by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s decision to advance devastating changes to the Section 106 process. The proposed changes threaten the history of our nation and the fabric of our society—this is an attack on our civic and cultural inheritance. Safeguarding our nation’s historic assets is central to our mission. The National Trust, and our partners across the country, will work tirelessly to mobilize the American public and activate Congress to defeat these harmful regulations.”

Learn more about Section 106: https://ow.ly/br2C50Zsuz1

Pictured: Milwaukee Soldiers Home
Photo by Ryan Hainey Photography

07/17/2026

In an effort to save public art in federal buildings that the Trump administration has targeted for sale, two Democratic members of the Congressional Arts Caucus introduced a bill called the Protecting Resources and Ensuring Stewardship of Enduring Records of Visual Expression (Preserve) Act on Tuesday (14 July). It specifically sites Washington, DC’s Cohen Building—the “Sistine Chapel of the New Deal”.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/07/16/us-congress-introduces-bill-to-protect-public-art-in-federal-buildings-targeted-by-trump-administration

07/16/2026

Regularly visiting galleries and museums could enhance older adults’ wellbeing, according to a study published yesterday in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.⁠
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The findings indicated that lower physiological age—a measure that reflects the deterioration of physiological function associated with aging—was “significantly associated” with higher levels of cultural engagement and that the impact of engaging with arts and culture “can be comparable to frequent physical activity”. ⁠
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Read this news story in full on Ocula: https://ocula.com/magazine/art-news/engaging-with-art-could-slow-ageing-study/

07/16/2026

The high-impact redevelopment of the former Teatro Comunale opera house has attracted widespread criticism and a criminal investigation.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/07/10/unesco-reviewing-controversial-black-cube-project-in-florence-amid-outrage

07/11/2026

ICE just shot another person.

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican construction worker, was driving to pick up workers for the day when ICE stopped him and shot him dead. ICE says he "weaponized his vehicle."
We've heard that phrase before.

Whatever happened in those final moments, one thing is clear: shooting an unarmed person should never be the first answer. Illegal immigration is not a felony, and it does not automatically justify shooting someone.

Source: AP News