Welcome to clairobscur, my art history blog!
My name is Bronwen, and I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto studying art history and modern languages. Besides school, I’m also a research fellow and art writer. My focus is on late 19th-early 20th century art, with an interest in queer and feminist theory and institutional critique.
While I made this blog partly for personal gain – I needed an outlet for my latest obsessions – I also made it in hopes of re-telling art history from a more inclusive point of view. There’s no way around it – art history has traditionally been an elitist, Eurocentric and patriarchal field. I’ve been lucky enough to be exposed to art and art history my whole life, and I want people who are traditionally excluded from artistic institutions to also enjoy art. Whether that means amplifying the voices ignored by the traditional canon, or talking about art history in a way that not just super nerdy PhD students understand, I hope to achieve that with this blog.
With this blog, I want to celebrate lesser-known artists, highlighting BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women figures from art history. I hope to cover any and all cultures and periods, hopefully from a unique and unconventional perspective. Feel free to ask any questions, or leave any feedback that you might have, and if there’s a topic you want me to write about, I’d love to hear your suggestions!
That being said, thank you so much for checking out my blog. I hope you enjoy!