Malcolm Thurlby
What stories do buildings tell about taste, faith, trade, cultural networks, economies and political power structures? Art history Professor Malcolm Thurlby has dedicated more than half a century to studying and sharing his love for medieval and medieval revival (Gothic and Romanesque) architecture, exploring what it said about its time and helping it speak to a new generation.
An accomplished and prolific author, Thurlby has published four books, 26 book chapters, 60 refereed articles, 18 papers in refereed conference proceedings, and 73 essays in popular and mainstream journals, magazines and newspapers. He has also delivered 233 conference presentations and invited papers.
For this dedication, excellence and productivity, Thurlby will be presented with the second annual AMPD Research Award at a celebration on Feb. 27 during a special reception that will take place from 2:30 to 5 p.m. in Room 130, Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts, Keele Campus. As part of this event, Thurlby will deliver an illustrated lecture on Gothic church architecture in Canada and share some of his impressive photography collection, history and insights around significant examples of Gothic churches from St John’s, N.L., to Vancouver Island, B.C.
Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Original Malcolm Thurlby
“It is with great pleasure that at our second annual research award celebration we have an opportunity to celebrate Professor Malcolm Thurlby’s distinguished contribution to the history of art and architecture,” said Professor Kenneth Rogers, associate dean, research in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). “We at AMPD are privileged to have a scholar of such eminence and accomplishment in our midst.”
Thurlby’s long-time colleague Professor Anna Hudson, a Tier II York Research Chair and the principal investigator for the Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage project, said that Thurlby “single-handedly established York as a centre for architectural studies with a rich roster of masters and PhD graduates who populate faculty positions in Canada and abroad.” She added “his lengthy citations list and impressive student publications list confirm that Malcolm has made a significant contribution to the University’s research culture and reputation.”
Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Original Malcolm Thurlby
With more than 35 years of experience in teaching and publishing research at York University, Thurlby is not only internationally renowned specialist in medieval architecture, he is also a warm and engaged colleague to the faculty and staff of AMPD and a beloved and approachable teacher to the thousands of students who have passed through his lecture halls.
“Not only was Malcolm single-handedly responsible for introducing me to the topic of my doctoral research, but the offer of his supervision was the primary reason I returned to York to pursue a PhD in medieval Asturian architecture,” said Art History alumnus Ronald Lvovski (BA ’10, PhD ’18). “His theoretical and practical methodologies have helped me to develop original findings that challenge and contribute to over one century of discourse.”
Admission to this special event is free. All are welcome and this event is open to the public who are are invited to RSVP online in advance.