The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Institute is proud to announce the conferment of an Honorary Doctorate degree (Doctor Honoris Causa)ÌýtoÌýDame Rachel Whiteread DBE, one of the UK’s leading contemporary artists.
Working primarily in sculpture, Dame Rachel Whiteread DBE’s artwork transforms everyday objects, surfaces, and architecture into monumental and ethereal artworks.Ìý
Rachel studied painting at Brighton Polytechnic and sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art in the 1980s. A leading figure in the Young British Artists, RachelÌýexhibitedÌýin ³Ù³ó±ðÌýSensationÌýexhibition at the Royal AcademyÌýin 1997. Her practice has since expanded to include large-scale public commissions and memorial works, which areÌýexhibitedÌýworldwide and held in major public collections. Notable projects includeÌýHolocaust Memorial, Vienna (2000);ÌýUntitled Monument, Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square, LondonÌý(2001);ÌýU.S. Embassy (Flat pack house),ÌýUS Embassy, London (2013-2015);Ìýas well asÌýnumerousÌýglobal exhibitions and retrospectives.Ìý
In 1993, Rachel became the first woman to win the Turner Prize for her internationally acclaimedÌýHouse, a full-sized cast of a Victorian terraced house in London. Rachel was the first female artist to present a solo exhibition for the British Pavillion at the Venice Biennale in 1997. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2006 and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2019 for services to art.Ìý
The conferring of this Honorary Doctorate underscores the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s dedication to recognising leaders in the fields of Art and Art History whoÌýdemonstrateÌýextraordinary accomplishments and inspire future generations.ÌýThe honorary degree was presented at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s Graduation Ceremony on 8 July 2026.Ìý
Acknowledging their outstanding support of the arts, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Institute also awarded Honorary Fellowships toÌýDaniel Katz MBEÌýandÌýLouisa A. Leventis.Ìý
Daniel ‘Danny’ Katz MBE is a preeminent dealer in European sculpture and fine art, specialisingÌýin particular inÌýgreat masterpieces across different sculptural media. SinceÌýestablishingÌýthe Daniel Katz Gallery in 1968, Danny has become a world-renowned authority on Renaissance bronzes, amongst other fields. The gallery’sÌýexpertiseÌýspans a diverse range of categories, including Ancient Art, Old Master andÌý19thÌýCentury Paintings, Modern British Art, and Arts of the Islamic World. With an exceptional global reputation, the gallery has placed significant works in major international institutions such as The British Museum, The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.Ìý
Danny is also well known for his philanthropic commitments, both to the arts — fine arts, music, and dance — as well as neurological charities. He was awarded an MBE for charitable services in 2002. Danny has been a keen supporter of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ for over two decades, funding exhibitions and the post of the Daniel Katz Curator ofÌýTwentieth Century Art, currently held by Dr Barnaby Wright, Deputy Head of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Gallery. Danny’s visionary philanthropy has been transformative for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and for the wider field of the arts.Ìý
Louisa A. LeventisÌýis Executive Director of the A.ÌýG. Leventis Foundation, a charitable foundation focused on society, education, and cultureÌýestablishedÌýby the Cypriot entrepreneur Anastasios G. Leventis.Ìý
Louisa studied English and Modern Greek Literature at St Peter’s College, Oxford, and later completed an MA in Museum Studies at the Institute of Archaeology at University College London. She spent a year inÌýNew York working on ³Ù³ó±ðÌýMetropolitan Museum’sÌýexhibitionÌýGlory of ByzantiumÌý(1997).Ìý
The A.ÌýG. Leventis Foundation is a significant supporter of the study and conservation of the cultural heritage of Cyprus,ÌýGreeceÌýand the Hellenism of the Diaspora,Ìýand has been a major supporter of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ forÌýnearly 40Ìýyears. Under Louisa’s stewardship, the A. G.ÌýLeventis Foundation has supported the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ in a wide range of areas including conservation, exhibitions, conferences, and academic post funding, including the AG Leventis Professorship of Byzantine Art held by Professor Antony Eastmond. Thanks to this outstanding generosity, Byzantine studies is a thriving area of research and teaching at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, fostering new generationsÌýof scholars for years to come.Ìý
