University College London

Graduate Student, History of Art

Other Affiliations: The Science Museum, Medicine

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Student

Thesis Title: Preserving Skin: The Collection & Preparation of Tattoos in Late Nineteenth Century France.

About

I am a PhD student at UCL History of Art Department, currently working in collaboration with the Science Museum London on my doctoral thesis.

My research is interdisciplinary, reflecting my background; I initially studied for my first degree in Fine Art with History of Art at the University of Leeds, whilst also training as a tattooist. During this period I developed a strong interest in alternative imaging techniques, art-science collaborations, the body in art, photography and particularly in skin. The intersection of my practical training as a tattooist with my academic interest in skin culminated in my thesis on cutaneous art forms and the position of the tattoo in relation to art history, as well as several pieces of art work dealing with tactility, memory and identity. This included a live tattooing performance which took place during the opening night of the degree show.

Following my graduation in 2004, I began teacher training at Manchester Metropolitan University, graduating in 2005. Over the course of the next three years, I worked in a range of mainstream secondary schools in Greater Manchester teaching art and photography, and as a behaviour and learning support teacher in Aberdeen. During this time I found it increasingly difficult to practice art due to the demands of the profession, though I continued to pursue my interest in skin and tactility by training part time as a massage therapist, fully qualifying in 2007.

In 2008 I began studying for my Masters degree in Visual Anthropology at The University of Manchester. At the same time I was employed as a teacher in the sixth form at a secondary school for students with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties. This presented a unique opportunity to combine my massage therapy skills and research interests with pedagogic practice, and encouraged my decision to pursue Master's research into tactile communication and haptic teaching and learning methods with my most profound and multiply disabled students.

I graduated with Distinction in 2009, and shortly afterwards I was granted an AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award to study a unique collection of preserved tattooed skins held by the Science Museum London.

I moved to London to take up my current PhD research in October 2009. I continue to practice tattooing intermittently, and hope to pursue this path further in future.

For further information about the project, please contact me at the e-mail address below, or visit: http://lifeand6months.com/


gemma.angel.09@ucl.ac.uk