Coalition of Master's Scholars on Material Culture (2024)

19/03/2024

Our final presenter is Rachael Nelson! She will analyze the display of a red-figure Attic ware stamnos at the MFA, Boston. The MFA classifies the stamnos as being of the material culture of Athens, Greece. This is the vessel’s culture of production, however, the stamnos was discovered in an Italic context, yet any discussion of this beyond a note on the vessel’s purchase is absent from museum materials. She calls into question the one dimensionality of single-culture attribution and highlights a few of the complexities of dealing with objects that are linked to intercultural trade and exchange, particularly in the Ancient Mediterranean.

Nelson is an archaeologist and art historian whose research focuses on the material culture of the Etruscans and the relationship between material and visual culture in the Ancient Mediterranean. She completed her BA in Classical Archaeology and Fine Arts at Saint Anselm College, during which she participated in excavations with the Mediterranean Institute of Archaeology in Orvieto, Italy, working on Etruscan and Late Republic/Early Imperial Roman sites. In 2023 she received her MA in the History of Art and Architecture as well as a certificate in Museum Studies from Boston University.

18/03/2024

Artist Joe Cimino is our next presenter for the 2024 symposium! Cimino’s presentation, “Materials of the Past: Discerning Digital Materiality as a Method for Analyzing History,” will discuss his project, Leviathan (2023), partially inspired by Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick, and explores the material history of oil and resources harvested from animals during the height of the Industrial Revolution, investigating how we can trace these effects well into contemporary times. Through layering archival footage, found footage, and his own, Leviathan approaches this history through an empathetic lens, resulting in a moving collage of images and
sounds from the past and present to fathom how this “lucrative idea” devastated ocean ecology and human lives alike.

Cimino is an Italian-American time-based media artist, musician, podcaster, and adjunct professor, currently based in the United States. He holds a BFA in studio art from Rowan University and an MFA in studio art from Studio Arts College International (SACI).

15/03/2024

Next in our symposium lineup is Luli Zou. Zou will discuss Sylvester Manor’s Canton black lacquer box and its journey from China to Long Island. Utilizing a variety of scientific tools, historical research, and previous scholarship, the provenance of this tea box can be confirmed, providing a better understanding of the Sylvesters as well as Canton export lacquerware.

Zou is currently an MA student at Bard Graduate Center. She holds a BA in history and an MSc in conservation. Previously, she worked as a research fellow at the Preservation Society of Newport County, conducting a lacquerware conservation survey. Additionally, she interned with the Bureau of Historic Sites in New York State and various Chinese cultural institutions. Passionate about Chinese export wares and chinoiserie objects, especially lacquerware, she combines conservation and object-based material culture methodology to explore narratives behind, contributing to a broader understanding of 18th-19th century America and China’s cultural communication.

14/03/2024

Our symposium will include four emerging scholars, first up is Damián Sabatini! He will present “Visualizing the Universe: The Role of Pictures in Mediating the Relationship Between People and Outer Space.” Drawing on his research among amateur astronomers at two London Astronomical societies, he argues that the objecthood of pictures – understood from a material culture perspective – plays a key role in shaping people's relationship with the universe, which is influenced by new technology and more accessible ways to capture and share pictures of the skies.

Sabatini is an anthropologist from Chile (2020) interested in Material and Visual Culture Studies, Digital Anthropology, Anthropology of Techniques, Media Studies, and Anthropology of Outer Space. In 2023, he completed a master’s degree in Material and Visual Culture at University College London, supported by a scholarship from the Chilean government, where he developed an interest in extraterrestrial anthropology.

13/03/2024

We are very excited to announce our symposium lineup; our keynote speaker will be FBI Special Agent Jake Archer! He is a senior member of the FBI's Art Crime Team and a Philadelphia Division team leader for the FBI's Evidence Response Team. SA Archer conducts art and cultural property-related investigations, repatriations, and training domestically and internationally. Having earned a master’s degree in Art History- Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies from Rutgers University and now pursuing a PhD, he researches the development of care for art and artifacts subjected to the law enforcement process.

23/01/2024

Announcing our 2024 symposium- "What Is Material Culture?" The symposium will take place on Saturday, March 23 and will feature 5 emerging scholars and a keynote speaker who will explore what does material culture even mean? How do our fields define it, what biases and assumptions do we bring, and more!

Registration link: https://cmsmc.org/register
Interested in speaking at our symposium? The CFP is open until Feb 23! CFP and application can be found here: https://cmsmc.org/call-for-papers-symposium

07/12/2023

Love material culture? Looking for Christmas presents or a treat for yourself? Check out our latest "I Study Stuff" and "Material Culture Maven" merch on our website: https://cmsmc.org/shop

28/11/2023

This consider donating to CMSMC! With your steadfast support, CMSMC has grown into a vibrant community, with 1,600 readers each month across 95 countries. Looking ahead, our sights are set on hosting an in-person symposium in 2025. This will be a culmination of our dedication to fostering dialogue and collaboration. To achieve this goal, we aim to raise $2,500, marking a significant milestone in our journey towards fostering diverse scholarship and academic development. Any amount helps but those who donate over $100 will receive a PRINTED copy of our Material Matters journal. Thank you for your support; you can donate here: https://donorbox.org/donate-to-cmsmc

17/11/2023

Happy ! This op-ed by Kate Grindstaff about the new exhibit at Seward House Museum, Rooted in Reform, discusses the site's connections to Auburn Prison (now Auburn Correctional Facility). Through sensitive research, building new partnerships, and the desire to push traditional museum boundaries, a seemingly local and niche historic house can have the power to approach a national story and engage a national audience. Read now: https://cmsmc.org/opeds/small-museum-big-mission

09/11/2023

Reminder, we are holding our "How to Write an Abstract for Publication" Panel next week on Tuesday, November 14!!! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-write-an-abstract-for-publication-panel-tickets-692702049477?aff=oddtdtcreator

16/10/2023

CMSMC is thrilled to introduce our new annual publication schedule and that our inaugural issue of Material Matters is now live! Centered around the theme of History Should Make You Uncomfortable, our issue showcases four master's scholars' work on material culture, including topics like empire & colonialism, food ways & displacement, surrealism in the museum space, and sensationalist journalism & criminality. Visit our website to read more: https://cmsmc.org/

29/09/2023

Join a CMSMC panel to discuss tips and tricks on how to write a successful abstract when submitting work for publication.

20/09/2023

Join us on Thursday, October 12 for a Material Culture Career Path event with Ann Cannon, Associate Curator of American Art at the Fenimore! This event is like a group informational interview and we will hear about Ann's education, experience, and career tips!

13/09/2023

Welcome back to another academic year! Learn more about what CMSMC has going on this Fall and the year to come!

24/06/2023

Happy Saturday!

To celebrate we will be highlighting LGBTQ figures in history.

Richmond Barthé was an African-American sculptor and painter. Born in 1901 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, he is best known for his depiction of black subjects in his work and his association with the Harlem Renaissance. He was the first black artist whose work was featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection.

“All my life I have been interested in trying to capture the spiritual quality I see and feel in people, and I feel that the human figure as God made it, is the best means of expressing this spirit in man.” Especially during the beginning of his career, Barthé drew inspiration from stage performers in NYC, such as Josephine Baker. Over the years, he gained recognition for his work, winning several awards and becoming a member of the National Sculpture Society.

Barthé was a prominent member of the LGBT community in NYC, with a large circle of friends who included Langston Hughes and Claude McKay. Following his time in New York, he lived in Jamaica, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy, before settling down in Pasadena, California, where he lived until his death in 1989.

Images: both public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
1: Still from the 1935 film "A Study of Negro Artists", highlighting the development of African-American fine arts.
2. "Blackberry Woman" by Richmond Barthé, 1932. Smithsonian American Art Museum, not on display.

21/06/2023

Happy Wednesday!

To celebrate we will be highlighting LGBTQ figures in history.

Josephine Baker, born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906, in St Louis, Missouri, was a dancer, singer, and actress. She was the first black woman to star in a major film, Siren of the Tropics (1927). Although she may never have officially come out, Baker was known to have a number of affairs with both men and women, including, allegedly, Frida Kahlo.

During her lifetime, even after moving to France, Baker supported the American Civil Rights Movement. She refused to perform for segregated audiences in the USA, even after being offered high compensation for her performances. She also served as a spy for the French Resistance and received the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honour medals for her work. She died in Paris on April 12, 1975.

Image: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

19/06/2023

Happy Monday~

To celebrate we will be highlighting LGBTQ figures in history.

Alan Hart (1890-1962) was a physician, radiologist, and novelist who studied and treated tuberculosis. He is known for his development of the x-ray detection technique used in TB screening programs. His work in the field of tuberculosis did not stop there, as he also raised money for research and for patients who could not afford treatment otherwise. Hart was a trans man. Assigned female at birth, he was one of the first known people to have a gender-reassignment surgery in the USA.

Alongside his medical career, Hart was also a writer. Over the course of his life, he published over 9 short stories and 4 novels, all mostly fiction, but which incorporated medical themes.

Image: Alan Hart in 1943, via Wikimedia Commons.

16/06/2023

TGIF! 🎉

To celebrate we will be highlighting LGBTQ figures in history.

The Chevalier d’Éon was a French diplomat, spy, and knight. Born on October 5, 1728 in Tonnerre, France, d’Éon was assigned male at birth, they grew up and were educated as a boy. In 1756, they joined the Secret du Roi, a secret spy network employed by King Louis XV. Through the Secret du Roi, d’Éon took part in many secret missions, including infiltrating the Russian court, convincingly passing as a woman and maid of honour to the Empress. From age 49 to their death, however, d’Éon lived and dressed as a woman, after announcing that their father forced them to grow up as a boy. Even outside of their military missions, d’Éon’s life was a turbulent one: they were declared an outlaw and went into hiding, living in exile in London until their return to France several years later, when they were banished to their hometown. After the French Revolution, they went into serious debt, unable to find new work in the military, and died in poverty in 1810, aged 81.

Image: “Chevalier d’Éon” (1792) painted by Thomas Stewart. National Portrait Gallery via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

14/06/2023

It's !

Today’s item is this hunting sword with scabbard. Its carved ivory grip represents a lion holding a crescent moon under its paw. This grip is attributed to Joseph Deutschmann, a Bavarian sculptor, from around 1740.

12/06/2023

Happy Monday!

To celebrate we will be highlighting key LGBTQ figures in history.

First, we have Sylvia Rivera, a q***r Latina drag queen, and Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman and s*x worker. These two activists fought for the rights of q***r people, transgender and gender-nonconforming people, drag queens, and homeless youth their whole lives.

Rivera and Johnson were together at the Stonewall Riots, where Rivera is said to have thrown the first brick. After Stonewall, the two founded S.T.A.R. (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), a group which worked to provide shelter and support to q***r, homeless youth. Rivera and Johnson played a major role in the early gay liberation movement in 1970s USA and continue to be remembered for their activism.

Image: (L-R) Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, alongside gay rights activists Jane Vercaine, Barbara Deming, Kady Vandeurs, and Carol Grosberg, at a gay rights rally by NYC's City Hall. Image by Diana Davies via NBC News.

05/06/2023

Pssst. Did you know that CMSMC offers lectures?

CMSMC’s Foundations Lectures are for students and scholars alike to get back to the basics of theory and methods in their chosen field. Each lecture is given by scholars and are accompanied by further reading materials, assignments, and more.

Head over to the link in our bio for the lectures! (Or for more information if you’d like to participate as a lecturer!)

02/06/2023

Happy Friday!

in music history, Felix Mendelssohn's Wedding March was used for the first time in a wedding in 1847. Just over a decade later, the march was popularized when it was used at the wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal and Prince Frederick William of Prussia, better known as Emperor Frederick III.

01/06/2023

Happy everyone!

26/05/2023

Happy !

Today is the last regular publication before we begin our new publication schedule of themed publications once a year.

This publication is titled "Crafting Legacy with Broken Pieces: Lee Family Fragments at Winterthur" and is by Cecelia Eure. The piece focuses on the Winterthur Museum, which houses a collection of post-Civil War archaeological fragments. This collection was donated in 1968-69 by Mrs. Cazenove G. Lee, and includes bricks, stones, ceramics, and glass pieces likely crafted by enslaved Black workers.

Through this piece, Eure explores the role of archaeological fragments in material culture studies and the politics of legacy building.

Link in bio!

Image: Two roofing tiles tied together with a string and labelled to be from Shirley Plantation. 1968.0324.001 and .002. Ceramic. Winterthur Museum. Gift of Mrs. Cazenove G. Lee.

24/05/2023

Happy !

Today’s item is this wide-rimmed bowl, depicting figures from Virgil’s Aeneid. The bowl is part of a set created at the workshop of Maestro Giorgio Andreoli in 1525. The design was inspired by the works of Raphael.

This bowl and the other pieces of this set are examples of maiolica, a tin-glazed pottery style popularized during the Renaissance period. Known as maiolica in Italy, the style had different names throughout Europe, including faience in France and delftware in the Netherlands.

Images: public domain via the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

22/05/2023

Calling all writers and academics!

CMSMC is changing up our publication schedule AND we’re looking for new papers to publish! We used to have a rolling Call for Papers, but we are phasing this out and replacing it with a submission deadline of JUNE 1ST. Submissions will be published in a thematic issue once a year.

Our first issue revolves around the theme “History Should Make You Uncomfortable.” For information on what to submit and how, visit our website (link in bio).

Happy submitting! 😊

P.S.: To stay up to date on news such as this, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

17/05/2023

Happy Wednesday!

Today, instead of our usual , we are highlighting an exhibition. The “First Kings of Europe” exhibition is on display at Chicago’s Field Museum.

The exhibition displays over 700 objects, remnants of some of ancient Europe’s earliest societies, dating as far back as 5000 BCE. Included are the oldest human-made gold objects—the Varna treasure—c.a. 4000 BCE Bulgaria, Bronze age weapons and armor, and many other objects from 11 countries throughout southeastern Europe.

The exhibition is set to run through to January 28, 2024, and is open to visitors of all ages.

Image: Objects from the Varna treasure, on loan from the Varna Regional Museum of History, Bulgaria. Image via Chicago Field Museum.

12/05/2023

Have you registered for next week's event yet? It's not too late!

Head over to the CMSMC website for more information! (Link in bio)

08/05/2023

in 1945, World War II in Europe officially ended. Today, Victory in Europe Day (or VE Day) is celebrated by many on May 8, in remembrance of the lives of all the men and women who took part in the war.

Former USSR countries, as well as Mongolia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Israel, celebrate Victory Day on May 9th.

Image: VE Day Celebrations in London, 8 May, 1945. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

03/05/2023

Happy !

Today’s item is this gold beaker featuring embossed face and frog imagery. The beaker originates from 9th-11th century Peru, and belongs to the Sicán (a.k.a. Lambayeque) culture.

The Sicán lived along the north coast of Peru around 8th-14th century. While it succeeded the Moche culture, it continued many of its practices and so some archaeologists and anthropologists are divided as to whether the two are separate cultures.

The Sicán were master craftspeople. They used the lost-wax process which allowed them to use a single mold to create multiple pieces of pottery or gold ornaments. In fact, the Sicán are well-known for their gold creations, such as this beaker. They also used alloys to strengthen and improve metals and used adobe ovens which could reach temperatures as high as 1,832F (1000C) which allowed for creating very intricate objects. Such items have been found in Sicán tombs and are now housed in museums around the world.

Images: public domain via the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Coalition of Master's Scholars on Material Culture