Research Assistant to Dr. Susan Elizabeth Gagliardi Atlanta, GA | Aug. 2022 – May 2023
As part of the Mapping Senufo digital humanities initiative—an interdisciplinary research project housed at Emory University—I worked alongside Dr. Susan Elizabeth Gagliardi to investigate how museum classifications shape perceptions of West African art and culture, with a particular focus on objects attributed to the Senufo label.
My role included:
Assessing attribution claims across global museum collections by evaluating provenance data, exhibition histories, and published scholarship. This helped refine how over 200 objects were categorized within the project’s interactive platform.
Researching regional artistic traditions and cultural lineages from Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Burkina Faso to contextualize the diversity of works historically labeled as “Senufo.”
Editing metadata and narrative content on the Mapping Senufo website, contributing to clearer provenance timelines and a more nuanced understanding of cross-cultural art historical interpretation.
Revising public-facing “chat box” commentaries that accompany specific artworks, helping improve the accessibility and academic rigor of the site’s digital storytelling.
This work not only expanded my research skills in African art history but also allowed me to contribute meaningfully to a project redefining curatorial practices through a community-engaged, digital scholarship.
