Louis Mazzari has taught American history, art, and literature for a dozen years in Istanbul, Turkey, at Bogazici University, the country’s most renowned university, and he now also teaches in the City University of New York system. He has published books and articles on the cultural and political history of the U.S. with the university presses of LSU, Yale, and South Carolina. His New York work has included a study of the documentary aesthetic of photographer Berenice Abbott. Mazzari previously served as managing editor of the anthropology journal Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, and he worked on the editorial staff of the Harvard Educational Review. His years in a variety of classrooms have focused on the intersection of the artwork and its cultural history, and he speaks to American art’s profusion and its diversity of intentions and effects. That mix of art and culture is at the center of his presentation of the abundance of the Met’s American Wing.

Mitch holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in History and Philosophy from the University of Paris, Sorbonne. His passion for urban history began during his 7 years in Paris, where he worked in his spare time as a city guide and teacher of history and philosophy. His scholarly work has focused on theories of truth as they express themselves in art, literature and theology. Since moving to New York City 12 years ago, he has authored four books on east coast cities, and actively pursues his side-passions for composing classical music (he recently premiered his second opera), and photography (his work has appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker and Time, amongst other

As an undergraduate student at St. Joesph's College, Ryan was able to obtain his bachelors degree in education, while minoring in history. It was during this time that his passion for history, specifically New York City history began to fully develop. Upon graduating, Ryan began working as a New York City public school teacher and completing his masters degree in history at Queens College. As a graduate student, Ryan was able to merge his passion for music with New York City history with the completion of his masters thesis, which analyzed Punk Rock and the social factors that led to its creation and development in New York City. Ryan continues to work as a social studies teacher in New York City and enjoys experiencing all things the world has to offer through travel, culture, and shared experiences with new people.