What is your topic of research and what led you to choose it?
My research analyses acquisitions of Brazilian art by public museums in the UK. I am interested in investigating the motivations that lead museums to acquire specific objects. My research then covers different subjects, such as collecting practices and acquisition histories, decolonial work in museums, Latin American art history, and transnational theories. I chose this topic for different intertwined reasons. First, I am an Art Historian who is originally from Brazil. Second, I am passionate about museums, and I also have an MA degree in Museum Studies, from the School of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. I graduated from the MA in 2014, and I always knew I wanted to do a PhD, but I was yet not sure on the topic. The idea for this project came to me a couple of years after I finished my MA. I had then adopted London as my home, and walking down the galleries at Tate Modern, I started to notice that more artworks by Brazilian artists were being displayed among their permanent collection. So, I began to interrogate how many artworks from Brazil I would find in public collections the UK, gathering data in my spare time. I then decided to approach the School of Museum Studies again with an idea for a PhD project. I was happy to find out that since I had graduated from the MA, there was a new member of staff in the School with a specialism in Brazilian and Latin American art. Dr Isobel Whitelegg, who is now my supervisor, helped me shaping my ideas into a doctoral research – and I am profoundly thankful to her!
Where did you study previously? What was your academic path?
I actually changed my career path in my mid-twenties. I first graduated in Journalism when I was still living in Brazil. I did some internships back then in different types of media as a journalist, but I was not sure if that was what I wanted to continue doing. After graduating, I went to live in Lisbon, Portugal. My initial plans were to undertake an MA in Communication/Marketing once I arrived in Portugal.
However, I then came across an undergraduate degree in History of Art which I became very interested in. I had some savings that could cover the course’s fees – so I changed my plans and enrolled on this course. So, my second degree is in History of Art, from the New University of Lisbon. That was quite a journey as I had to work part-time (to pay rent, food… you know!) and studying full-time. I was really interested in my studies, so the efforts paid off.
After graduating from History of Art, I was unsure about my next steps: there were virtually no jobs in the arts in Portugal. I came across information about the MA at the School of Museum Studies and that they had a scholarship that would cover the fees. I decided to apply and try my luck: I was not only accepted into the programme, but I was also awarded the scholarship – which I am so grateful for. It changed my life completely. Without that scholarship I would not have been able to afford studying in the UK.
After graduating from the MA, I took a break from studying. I moved from Leicester to London and worked in different jobs that had nothing to do with my current research. For instance, I worked for a private archive cataloguing their archive related to maritime history; I worked for the Royal London Hospital Museums and Archives in a project about STIs in East London in the 20th Century – I dealt with archival collection related to this topic; and finally I worked at the British Library in their Qatar project that is digitising and making available online historical material related to the Gulf region. As you can see, my work experience never involved Brazilian or Latin American art. I did know, however, that I wanted to work with these topics.
So, as I narrated in the previous question, when I had this idea for the PhD, I decided it was the time to pursue the PhD path. I applied for the AHRC Midlands3Cities scholarship (now the Midlands4Cities), and once more I am grateful to have received the funding. It changed my life, again!
What is your favourite museum or art gallery, and why?
The answer to this question has changed over time! But I really like the Pinacoteca de Sao Paulo, in Brazil. They have an incredible collection of Brazilian art and the museum’s building is also fantastic. It is situated in an old School of arts and crafts. I like the experience of visiting the museum, which is located in a very busy area of Sao Paulo – but once you are inside, you forget the chaos of the big city. The way the sunlight also enters through the museum’s windows creates a great atmosphere inside, contributing to the experience. I have visited some interesting exhibitions there, where the artworks and artists are well contextualised. You can access a virtual tour here https://www.portal.iteleport.com.br/tour3d/pinacoteca-de-sp-acervo-permanente/
· Do you have any advice for future PhD students?
Choose a topic you are passionate about. You will spend a long time on the subject of your research, so do something that motivates you. Remember also that the PhD is one step into your career path. Be humble: you will never know everything about any topic, and that is the beauty of doing a PhD – you grow so much, at personal and intellectual levels. Build a good network of PhD students around you, as this will prove very important throughout your PhD journey. Don’t be afraid of asking for advice. Take time to breath and reflect. Read as much as you can, and write from day one. And, most importantly, don’t forget to look after your physical and mental health.
Twitter: @eloisarod
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