Stephanie M. Gibson is an assistant professor of art history. Her research is interested in the ways in which groups and societies construct their monumental landscape. She holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Emory University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Her current research project looks at monuments of the Black Atlantic to examine the varied ways architects and other designers have responded to the large and important challenges of representing and repairing the trauma and loss suffered by these communities. Her work provides a theoretical framework, rooted in Black memory studies, for understanding the methods and techniques that are utilized in the creation of new monuments that memorialize trauma and pain in an effort to move us toward collective liberation.
Areas of Expertise
- The Black Diaspora
- The Built Environment
- Monuments and Memorials
Courses Taught
- The Black Diaspora in 20th-Century Art
- Africa and Europe, Modern Art and the Built Environment
- Critical Methods in Art History
- Behind the Scenes in the Museum
Accomplishments
- 2019-2022 Monument Lab Graduate Research Fellow
Research Interests
- Memory studies
- Public space and monuments
- The Black Atlantic
- The dynamics of power, race, capitalism, and colonialism
- The carceral landscape
Education
- Ph.D., History of Art & Architecture, University of Pennsylvania
- M.A., History of Art & Architecture, University of Pennsylvania
- B.A., Art History, Emory University (magna cum laude)
Publications & Articles
- Journal Articles (peer reviewed):
- “The Same but not Quite: An Exploration of the Mythology and Mimicry of the Bermudian Gombey Costume.” The Wollesen 7, 2019.
- Public Scholarship:
- “The History of Solitary Confinement.” 6.5 Minutes With… Podcast, 2022.
- “Sweet Dance of Subversion: Space, Race, and the Bermuda Gombey.” Monument Lab. October 13, 2020.
- “Ruins Repurposed: Building Monuments, Dismantling Systems.” Monument Lab. June 19, 2020.
- “Revealing Sally: Unveiling Bermuda’s Resistance to Confront Its Brutal Past.” Monument Lab. May 4, 2020.