Dr. Laura M. Holzman is Professor of Art History and Museum Studies and Public Scholar of Curatorial Practices and Visual Art at Indiana University Indianapolis. As a specialist in engaged art history, she activates art, its history, and its related institutions to strengthen communities, expand democratic discourse, and create a more equitable world. She holds a BA in art history with highest honors from Swarthmore College and a MA and PhD in visual studies from the University of California, Irvine.
She is the author of Contested Image: Defining Philadelphia for the Twenty-First Century (Temple University Press, 2019), which analyzes public discourse, historical art, and the struggle to shape Philadelphia’s reputation during an important moment of change in the city. Her writing has also appeared in outlets such as Panorama, Public Art Dialogue, and Newsweek Japan.
At IU, Laura teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on topics such as public art, curatorial practice, museum history and theory, and urban visual culture. She regularly collaborates with arts administrators, students, community groups, and other partners to develop exhibitions, artwork, and public programs. In 2021 she co-founded the Engaged Art History Community of Practice, which supports art historians around the world who embrace community collaboration and public address in their work.