Petrine Archer-Straw
Encyclopedia
Dr. Petrine Archer-Straw is an Art Historian & Curator
who currently resides in Kingston
, Jamaica
and she teaches at Cornell University.
, England
during the 1960s in an atmosphere of “... racial pride, and activism
” (Back to Black 35). Her father arrived England
in 1955 as a linotype press operator and subsequently sent for his family to join him. (BTB 35) Archer Straw notes that her home was a hub for the community (BTB 36). These were extremely formative experiences for the young Archer-Straw who also recalls how she “would do the rounds [on Sunday] with my father, .... joining in house to house campaigning and, in the summer, attending the numerous rallies and protest marches. (BTB 36). However, this community work eventually drew the ire of the right wing British National Front
and the family subsequently moved to Jamaica
, where Dr. Archer Straw finished high school
and started university. (BTB 36)
B.A. (1975–78) and later earned a Cultural History M.Phil (1983–87) at the same institution. She was also trained as an artist at the Jamaican School of the Arts (Diploma. Painting, 1979–82). Her most recent degrees came from the Courtauld Institute at the University of London
, where she earned an M.A. in Art History and Ph. D (Art History Modern, [Negrophilia] 1994-95).
: Avant-Garde Paris and Black Culture in the 1920s (Nov. 2000), Fifty Years, Fifty Artists (May 2001), and Back to Black: Art, Cinema & the Racial Imaginary (June 2005, in collaboration with David A. Bailey, and Richard J. Powell). Additionally, she taught at the Courtauld Institute at the University of London
(lecturer 1994-1995), served as the first Head of Art History at the Edna Manley
College for the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica (2002–2005), and served as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
(2005–2006) and Visiting Lecturer (2006–Present) at Cornell University
in Ithaca
, NY.
and Jamaican Art; a short list is provided below.
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
who currently resides in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and she teaches at Cornell University.
Early life
Petrine Archer-Straw grew up in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the 1960s in an atmosphere of “... racial pride, and activism
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
” (Back to Black 35). Her father arrived England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1955 as a linotype press operator and subsequently sent for his family to join him. (BTB 35) Archer Straw notes that her home was a hub for the community (BTB 36). These were extremely formative experiences for the young Archer-Straw who also recalls how she “would do the rounds [on Sunday] with my father, .... joining in house to house campaigning and, in the summer, attending the numerous rallies and protest marches. (BTB 36). However, this community work eventually drew the ire of the right wing British National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
and the family subsequently moved to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, where Dr. Archer Straw finished high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and started university. (BTB 36)
Education
Petrine Archer-Straw earned a Theology, History, Sociology B.A. at the University of the West IndiesUniversity of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
B.A. (1975–78) and later earned a Cultural History M.Phil (1983–87) at the same institution. She was also trained as an artist at the Jamaican School of the Arts (Diploma. Painting, 1979–82). Her most recent degrees came from the Courtauld Institute at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where she earned an M.A. in Art History and Ph. D (Art History Modern, [Negrophilia] 1994-95).
Academic career
Petrine Archer-Straw has published numerous books and catalogs including Eugene Palmer (Oct. 1993, in collaboration with Jane Norrie), New World Imagery (Oct. 1995), NegrophiliaNegrophilia
The word negrophilia is derived from the French negrophilie that literally means love of the negro. It was a term that avant-garde artists used amongst themselves to describe their passion for black culture...
: Avant-Garde Paris and Black Culture in the 1920s (Nov. 2000), Fifty Years, Fifty Artists (May 2001), and Back to Black: Art, Cinema & the Racial Imaginary (June 2005, in collaboration with David A. Bailey, and Richard J. Powell). Additionally, she taught at the Courtauld Institute at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
(lecturer 1994-1995), served as the first Head of Art History at the Edna Manley
Edna Manley
Edna Manley OM was a sculptor and contributor to Jamaican culture, as well as the wife of Norman Manley, the founder of the Jamaican People's National Party. She is often considered the "mother of Jamaican art". She is the daughter of English cleric Harvey Swithenbank and a Jamaican woman by the...
College for the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica (2002–2005), and served as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
(2005–2006) and Visiting Lecturer (2006–Present) at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
, NY.
Curator
In addition to her academic work, Petrine Archer-Straw has also curated numerous exhibits mainly related to Caribbean ArtCaribbean art
Caribbean art refers to the visual as well as plastic arts originating from the islands of the Caribbean...
and Jamaican Art; a short list is provided below.
- October Gallery, London: Home and Away: 7 Jamaican Artists (1994-95)
- Royal Academy of Art, London: Africa: The Art of a Continent (1994-5)
- Hayward Gallery, South Bank Centre: New World Imagery: Contemporary Jamaican Art (1995-96)
- The British Council Photos and Phantasms: Harry Johnston’s Photographs of the Caribbean (1997-98)
- National Art Gallery of the Bahamas: One Man's Vision: The Vincent D'Aguilar Collection (2000)
- National Art Gallery of the Bahamas: Past, Present, Personal: The Dawn Davies Collection (2002)
- College Art Gallery, EMCVPA: Fifty Years-Fifty Artists (2003–2004)
- College Art Gallery, cage[e], EMCVPA: The Vivian Virtue Collection (2005)
Affiliation with the Telluride Association
Petrine Archer Straw has recently completed a two year residency as a faculty guest in the Telluride House at Cornell. More recently, she taught the Caribbean Dialogs Live! course at TASP 2008 (Telluride Association Summer Program) with Professor Petrina Dacres.External links
- Diaspora Dialogs, a blog by Petrine Archer-Straw
- Negrophilia, a web site devoted to the phenomenon of NegrophiliaNegrophiliaThe word negrophilia is derived from the French negrophilie that literally means love of the negro. It was a term that avant-garde artists used amongst themselves to describe their passion for black culture...
by Petrine Archer-Straw - List of books by Petrine Archer Straw, list provided by amazon.com
- Archer-Straw’s Profile on Cornell.edu
- Petrine Archer.com, a web site built and maintained Petrine Archer-Straw