Malcolm Thurlby to be given second annual AMPD Research Award on February 27
What stories do buildings tell about taste, faith, trade, cultural networks, economies, and political power structures? Art History Professor Malcolm Thurlby has dedicated over half a century 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.
His published work tallies to 4 books, 26 book chapters, 60 refereed articles, 18 papers in refereed conference proceedings, and 73 essays published in popular and mainstream journals, magazines and newspapers. Thurlby has additionally presented 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 February 27th 2:30-5:00 in room 130 of the Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts at York University’s Keele Street campus. Admission is free and open to the public who are are invited to RSVP online in advance. The highlight of the event will be Thurlby delivering an illustrated lecture on Gothic Church Architecture in Canada, sharing some of his impressive photography collection and history and insights around significant examples of Gothic churches from from St John’s, Newfoundland, to Vancouver Island BC.
“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 Kenneth Rogers, Associate Dean, Research in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. “We at AMPD are privleged to have a scholar of such eminence and accomplishment in our midst.”
Professor Thurlby’s long-time colleague Professor Anna Hudson, a Tier II York Research Chair and Principal Investigator for the Mobilizing Inuit Cultural Heritage project, says 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,” adding “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.”
With over 35 years experience of teaching and publishing research at York University, Thurlby is not only internationally renowned specialist in medieval architecture, but 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.”
