Covenant News

North Parkers to Explore Art and History in Florence

CHICAGO, IL (August 19, 2005) - Sixteen North Park University students will be immersed in the history and culture of Italy when they participate in a multi-disciplinary course in Florence, Italy, this fall.

Students will engage in intensive study of Italian for the first half of the day, then engage in other studies in the afternoon, says Neale Murray. Murray recently retired from his full-time post as professor of art at NPU but will teach drawing the first several weeks of the semester in Florence. Students also will study art history and music, Murray says.

Regardless of their academic disciplines, students will participate in all the courses, Murray says. Tom Zelle, associate professor of music, will teach the second half of the semester.

Murray says he is excited at the opportunity to teach in one of the world's cultural centers. "The students are going to go to the Duomo and draw it," he says. Construction of the Duoma or Cathedral of Florence spanned 600 years beginning in the 13th Century. It is the fourth largest cathedral in the world. (Accompanying photos show the exterior and interior of the Duomo.)

The breathtaking cathedral will provide a lot of space in which the artistic imagination can take flight, Murray says. "The only way you can understand it is to walk inside of it, and stand underneath that dome. It's a truly immense structure. You realize you are looking up 22 stories. They don't get that until they are actually there."

"The benefit is the experience of the actual work which can not be replicated in the classroom," Murray says. With all its benefits, not being in a classroom presents its difficulties. "Teaching on site is a totally different experience," Murray says. "It's exciting but it's also frankly quite challenging."

Murray says he will have to change the way he teaches. Introduction to art history generally is taught chronologically and systematically.

"But the real world doesn't order itself in a systematic, chronological way," Murray says. "It's all mixed together."

Initially, only 12 slots were available but that was expanded to 16 after receiving so many applications. Still, not everyone was able to go. The first priority was given to students such as juniors and seniors who might not have another opportunity to go, Murray said.

Murray says he hopes the class will be offered every other year.

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