About

Dr. Laura M. Holzman is an Associate Professor of Art History and Museum Studies at Indiana University, IUPUI, where she is also appointed Public Scholar of Curatorial Practices and Visual Art. As an engaged art historian, her work is dedicated to activating art history, its methods, and its related institutions as tools for strengthening communities, expanding democratic discourse, and creating a more reflective society.

Her first book, Contested Image: Defining Philadelphia for the Twenty-First Century (Temple University Press, 2019), 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 venues such as Public Art Dialogue and Public: A Journal of Imagining America.

At IUPUI, Laura teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on topics such as public art, curatorial practice, museum history and theory, and urban visual culture. She regularly develops exhibitions and public programs in collaboration with community partners.