The image of the slave-trader Edward Colston’s defaced statue being torn down in Bristol brings home how works of art and their histories can promote or challenge racism. In support of anti-racist and decolonial movements and believing that #BlackLivesMatter, we are raising money to fund two early career researchers who will be part of a project to combat racism and promote diversity in art history in the Higher Education sector in Britain. The project will comprise a Resource Portal to provide access to materials on anti-racist, postcolonial and decolonising art histories, as well as practical guides for catalysing institutional change. We want to raise £3,000 to recruit two researchers to develop the Resource Portal as an Anti-Racism Toolkit for Art History. Making these appointments as soon as possible will both recognise the immediacy and seriousness of the issue of racism in art history and provide some support for precarious workers affected by Covid-19. We are the HEN, the UK-wide Higher Education Network for Art History, which is closely affiliated to the Association for Art History. Through the HEN, practitioners of art history in all the forms and places it is taught in universities in Britain work together to tackle issues of common concern. For centuries black people have been depicted in Western art primarily as slaves, servants and exotic objects of curiosity and desire. University art history departments in the UK have been making attempts to challenge these racist stereotypes but progress has been slow. The Black Lives Matter movement makes clear the necessity and urgency of fundamental changes in art history departments to what is taught, who teaches and who is taught. Our initiative is an enhanced, interactive bibliography which will be hosted on the website of the Association for Art History, the subject association that celebrates and promotes the value of art history and visual culture today. This Resource Portal will support historians of art and visual culture in making meaningful change in their departments, their teaching and their research. Our initial aim is to raise £3,000, although of course more would be welcome! This would fund the equivalent of 20 days’ work spread between two early career art historians, from now to the end of the calendar year. The money would go directly to the researchers, who will be employed on a freelance basis by the AAH. Please help us to make the Research Portal a valuable, extensive and sustainable resource, a foundation for the further reflection, discussion and action that is so sorely needed.

Anonymous

Ed Wouk

Allison Stielau

Elsje van Kessel

Hanneke Grootenboer

Alexandra  Ross

Austeja Mackelaite

Valerie Mainz

Margaret  Carroll 

Stephanie Porras

Elizabeth Honig

Bronwen Wilson

Developing an Anti-Racism Toolkit for Art History

Developing an Anti-Racism Toolkit for Art History

Still £1,315 to go. Help us build momentum.