Ohio State Art Professor Ann Hamilton to Be Inducted Into the Academy of Arts and Letters This May

The American Academy of Arts and Letters announced March 20 that it will induct nine new members into the 250-person organization in mid-May, including internationally recognized artist Ann Hamilton, professor, Department of Art, and Distinguished University Professor at The Ohio State University. The honor of election is considered the highest formal recognition of artistic merit in the United States.

In addition to Hamilton, the new members include Robert Adams and Bill Jensen (Art); Wendell Berry, Ha Jin, Denis Johnson and Tobias Wolff (Literature); and David Lang and Alvin Singleton (Music). An American honorary member, Alice Waters, along with seven foreign honorary members will also be inducted. An exhibition of art, architecture, books and manuscripts by new members and recipients of awards will be on view in the academy's galleries May 22-June 15.

The American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society of 250 architects, composers, artists, and writers. Members of the academy are elected for life and pay no dues. As vacancies occur, the academicians nominate and elect new members.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Ohio State. With more than 80 departments, schools, centers and institutes, the college delivers 60 percent of the academic curriculum to Ohio State students. Its vast academic diversity is its greatest strength, combining the best of a major research institution with a rich liberal arts foundation. Arts and Sciences faculty create new knowledge to solve global problems, fuel Ohio's economy, spark student inquiry, and engage with the local community.