New UC art book and exhibit highlight campus collection

The University of Cincinnati is marking a major milestone in its arts legacy with the debut of a landmark exhibition and its first-ever art collection book.

“Collecting Art: Reflections on Works at the University of Cincinnati” opened this week at the Meyers Gallery and runs through Nov. 10. The show offers a curated look at the university’s expansive 5,000-piece art collection – and sets the stage for the September release of an illustrated companion book by the same name, available through major booksellers and online.

Together, the exhibition and publication highlight the breadth and impact of UC’s art holdings, which span antiquity to contemporary design. In total, more than 2,500 works are on public display across 60 buildings on UC’s East and West campuses, as well as at UC Blue Ash and UC Clermont. Other pieces are on loan to institutions such as the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum of Art and the Cincinnati Observatory.

The Getty Villa in Los Angeles is also showcasing pieces from the UC collection in its exhibition “The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece,” on view through January 2026.

The bulk of the exhibition, on view at the Meyers Gallery inside the Steger Student Life Center, features several key works from the publication, including Edwin Austin Abbey’s “Winter,” which shows a woman in Victorian dress standing alone in the snow. 

UC noted in a media statement that dual release is the result of nearly five years of collaboration across the university. The university said the project has helped elevate the UC Art Collection as a dynamic resource for research, teaching and public engagement.

Organizers describe the book not simply as a catalog, but as a reflection on the role of collecting within an academic setting – exploring how works of art can shape learning and bring disciplines together.

Leading the overall effort  were Emeritus Provost Kristi Nelson and Emeritus Dean Robert Probst, with support from President Neville Pinto and input from faculty, staff, alumni and student co-ops.  

More information about the book and exhibit is available at the Meyers Gallery website.