Thomas "Tom" Mapp, a prominent figure in arts education and administration at the University of Chicago, passed away on November 11, 2024, at the age of 88. Mapp's career at UChicago spanned 26 years, starting in 1975. He played a pivotal role as the second director of Midway Studios within the Department of Art History's Committee on Art and Design. His leadership helped reshape the program with an emphasis on intellectual rigor and artistic innovation.
By 1996, under Mapp's guidance, the program evolved into the Committee on the Visual Arts, gaining independence from Art History with its own faculty chair and budget. This transformation laid the foundation for what is now known as the Department of Visual Arts.
Mapp often emphasized the importance of education for artists. “I think artists have to be very well educated—very broadly informed,” he stated in a 1975 interview with UChicago Maroon. This belief was central to his teaching philosophy and administrative approach.
Laura Letinsky, a professor in the Department of Visual Arts who worked alongside Mapp beginning in 1994, praised his dedication to students and faculty: “His commitment to the students and ongoing enthusiasm for their work was inspiring... His generosity to faculty, staff and students was vital in building the strong foundation we stand on today.”
Born in New York City and raised in Stony Brook, Long Island, Mapp graduated from Dartmouth College with a history degree before pursuing an MFA in painting at Yale University. There he studied under Alex Katz alongside peers like Richard Serra and Brice Marden.
“Tom and I had been good friends for 64 years,” said Anthony Phillips, reflecting on their long friendship that began at Yale.
After earning his MFA, Mapp served as an officer in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps before embarking on his academic career. As an artist himself, he explored various mediums such as photography and printmaking. His work often examined anthropomorphic qualities of trees while engaging critically with art history.
One notable piece by Mapp is "Most Unstationary," part of Screen Prints (1970), housed permanently at Smart Museum of Art. Laura Letinsky remarked that “His work utilized collage...to critique cultural climate with humor.”
Mapp also served as chair of undergraduate studies at School of Art Institute Chicago prior to joining UChicago where he exhibited works alongside renowned artists including Ruth Duckworth.
Former student Martina Nehrling described him fondly: “He was someone we trusted.” She remembered receiving her graduate acceptance letter penned by him personally—a testament not only to his kindness but also attention towards nurturing creativity among aspiring artists: “He was kind...and often utterly sacrosanct."
Beyond academia or artistry lies another facet—his family life; cherished husband father grandfather—all whom survive this loss: wife Jane Cooperman children Nora Sam granddaughters Lucienne Carina are left behind carrying forward legacy imbued deeply within hearts minds forevermore remembered fondly those touched during lifetime shared togetherness filled joyous laughter wisdom endless love everlasting memories created shared cherished beyond measure time itself ceaselessly enduring through ages yet come forth anew again always evermore...