European Honors Program - Fall 2019

About EHP

In RISD’s oldest off-campus semester program a select group of RISD juniors, seniors, and second year grads from all departments, as well as Visual Art + Architecture concentrators from Brown University, live and work in a 16th century palazzo steps away from Rome’s most famous and important historical and artistic sites. Led by a Chief Critic drawn from a rotating cast of RISD faculty, the program is multidisciplinary in nature and designed to appeal to a wide range of concentrations. Each semester, approximately 20 students witness thousands of years of Western art and architecture first hand, drawing from their experiences to develop and produce a final studio project. EHP is an opportunity to inhabit the life of an artist working independently in Rome — but with all of the support and resources that RISD has to offer.

During the first week of the fall semester, students move into the Palazzetto and undergo orientation and introductory training. The academic components of the program begin the following week, which consist of the core Studio Elective (6 credits), the Art history course (3 credits, 2hrs, 4hr/week including 2hr city tour), and Italian (3 credits, 4hr/week).

The week-long trip, which moves beyond Rome to explore contemporary Italian art and culture in a number of other cities, occurs sometime during the first half of the semester. Week 8 marks the halfway point of the semester; students meet for a mid-term review. The liberal arts courses and the first component of the Studio Elective finish by week 11. During the following week, students are encouraged to explore other cities in Italy and beyond in order to gain inspiration and material for their studio concentration. They return to campus by week 13 for their Studio Concentration (3 credits), continuing and completing the work they began the earlier Studio Elective. During the last week of the program, students undergo the final review of their independent projects, followed by an exhibition and opening of the projects at the Palazzetto Cenci.

Student + Faculty Stories

A group of RISD students and faculty members were also thrilled to participate in the Shared Languages Workshop to study earthen architecture techniques on the island of Sardinia. Read more on RISD News

Exhibitions

Two exhibitions of student work were held:

EHP Fall 2019 Castelvecchio Calvisio Student Exhibition: September 25, 2019 - One following the group's stay in Castelvecchio Calvisio:

EHP Fall 2019 Final Exhibition: December 13, 2019 - One celebrating the group's work and achievements throughout the semester: