The Artists Roundtable, an international forum for leading practitioners, is hosted by Tamsin Dillon, faculty member of the MA Curatorial program.

Aliza Nisenbaum (b. 1977 Mexico City) is a New York-based artist known for her vibrant portraiture that makes visible and honors members of diverse, often underrepresented, communities. Her practice is rooted in ethical engagement and is based on intimate, long-term collaboration with her sitters. Nisenbaum's work combines social practice with observational painting, creating a unique dialogue between the artist and her subjects. She spends extended periods with her subjects, often in their homes or workplaces, building deep, personal relationships. Conversations during these sessions inform the final portraits, which capture her subjects' personalities and life experiences. Her subjects often come from distinct social groups, including undocumented immigrants, healthcare workers, community activists, and dancers. By dedicating a traditional, formal portraiture style to these individuals, she challenges historical portrait conventions that typically honored only the wealthy and powerful. Nisenbaum's detailed paintings are rich with patterned textiles, personal objects, and lush interiors that reflect her subjects' cultures and personalities. These elements act as a visual biography, providing a deeper context and narrative for each person.

Selected major exhibitions include: Queens, Lindo y Querido Queens Museum, New York(2023), The Three Divas of Traviata at Gallery Met (2023–2024): a series of portraits of Metropolitan Opera singers and staff. Aliza Nisenbaum, A solo exhibition featuring portraits of UK healthcare and essential workers created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tate Liverpool (2020), When Home Won't Let You Stay : multi-venue group exhibition, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (2019), Art on the Underground Public Commission (2019): A public mural project for London's Brixton Station featuring portraits of Transport for London staff, Whitney Biennial (2017). Nisenbaum's work is featured in numerous prestigious permanent collections, including: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Tate, UK, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C. Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, Queens Museum, New York.

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