Bennington College Alum Julia Duva Honored with Sculpture Award

Bennington College alumna Julia Duva has received the esteemed International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award for 2025. Duva, a graduate set to complete her studies in 2025, was nominated by John Umphlett, a faculty member in the college’s visual arts department. This recognition highlights her exceptional talent and dedication to the field of contemporary sculpture.

Umphlett, who joined Bennington College as a full-time faculty member in 2022, expressed his concern about the opportunities available to graduating students. “There’s not really a ‘sculptor job’,” he noted, emphasizing the need for avenues that help propel artists into their careers. He discovered the International Sculpture Center’s competition while browsing Sculpture magazine and recognized it as a valuable opportunity for students nearing graduation.

Duva’s artistic journey at Bennington College has been marked by her exploration of various mediums, including ceramics, textiles, and performance art. She began conceptualizing her senior project in her junior year, ultimately culminating in a piece titled (784) Blanket, 2025. This project involved innovative techniques, such as using tiles strung together to create a moving sculpture.

Reflecting on her creative process, Duva shared, “I thought of the blanket as a form of vessel – a way of showing movement within ceramics.” To bring her vision to life, she calculated the amount of clay required and meticulously crafted individual pieces. In total, she used approximately 100 lbs. of clay to create around 900 tiles, ultimately using 784 tiles for her final work.

Completing the blanket proved to be a collaborative effort, as Duva enlisted her mother’s help to weave the tiles together. “We lived as ‘shut-ins’ for two whole days,” she recalled. The finished piece was displayed in two forms: as a hanging sheet with photographic tiles beneath it, and as a true blanket draped over a human form.

Duva expressed gratitude for the support she received during her studies, crediting several faculty members, including Aysha Peltz, Yoko Inoue, and Anina Major, for their guidance. “I felt like my art was taken seriously for four years,” she stated. “The expectation of professionalism, diligence, and commitment was an essential part of my growth at Bennington.”

Now a full-time faculty member at the Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Duva teaches ceramics while incorporating elements of her educational experience at Bennington. Although she initially kept her award a secret from her students, the school announced it, leading to a communal celebration of her achievement.

Winning the award has significantly impacted Duva’s perspective on her artistic identity. “It has changed how I teach my classes,” she explained, feeling more connected to her role as an artist. Duva was among just ten students selected from a pool of 176 nominees representing 96 schools across the country.

Her artwork will be featured in the upcoming January/February issue of the magazine and showcased at the 31st Annual Sculpture Conference in Texas. Umphlett plans to continue nominating Bennington College seniors for this prestigious award, viewing the nomination process as a capstone project that validates their achievements and opens doors for future opportunities.

“The exposure to various disciplines and perspectives is what truly has the potential to propel a student into becoming a nominee or awardee in the future,” Umphlett stated. For further information about the award recipients and honorable mentions, visit the International Sculpture Center’s website at sculpture.org/page/studentawards.