The Importance of Material Literacy: Object-Driven Inquiry in a Digital Age
What happens when you move beyond looking—and start listening to what objects are made of?
This immersive, hands-on program invites participants to rediscover the physical language of art through material literacy and object-based inquiry. Over one dynamic week, you’ll go behind the scenes at Yale’s world-class collections, experiment with materials in studio workshops, and learn how makers’ choices shape meaning in ways no photograph or digital model can capture.
In a world experienced increasingly through screens, this program offers something different: direct encounters with objects and materials. Morning lectures with Yale Art History faculty, combined with exclusive access to the Yale University Art Gallery, ground participants in the histories of materials, techniques, and making. Afternoon sessions bring those ideas to life—inviting you to touch, handle, and create, uncovering the structural logic and sensory stories embedded in each object.
By the end of the week, you will gain a deeper understanding of how objects communicate knowledge, a new appreciation for artisanal skill, and practical skills for analyzing and interpreting the material world—perspectives that extend far beyond the classroom.
Guided by Professor Edward S. Cooke, Jr., a leading scholar of material culture, you’ll work closely with objects from Yale’s renowned collections and develop new methods of close looking, critical inquiry, and hands-on interpretation.
Designed for art enthusiasts, educators, makers, and curious thinkers alike, this workshop is a rare opportunity to reconnect with the material world of art—and to experience how objects speak when we engage them with our eyes and our hands.
Program Dates: Monday, June 15 - Friday, June 19, 2026
Program Schedule
The workshop meets Monday through Friday. Each morning begins with a faculty-led lecture that introduces key themes and artworks, followed by lunch in one of Yale’s historic dining halls. Afternoon sessions shift from theory to practice through guided making exercises, object-based study, and behind-the-scenes access to the Yale University Art Gallery and other campus collections. The week culminates in a Thursday evening celebratory dinner that brings together participants and faculty for conversation, reflection, and inspiration.
Explore the full program schedule for a closer look at each day’s activities.
Application
To apply, use the Yale Summer Session Application and select Session A. Be sure to choose the course “The Importance of Material Literacy: Object-Driven Inquiry in a Digital Age” when completing your application. See our Application Information for more details.