Heather M. Shirey
Art History
University of Saint Thomas Saint Paul
United States of America
Biography
Heather Shirey’s research focuses on art the African Diaspora in South America, North America, Europe, and Asia. In Brazil, her work examines art, politics and identity construction in the African-Brazilian religion Candomblé as well as the role of photography as it relates to race and regional identity from the 19th century to the present day. Her work of the African Diaspora in Great Britain examines dialogues about a diverse British identity as constructed through public art projects such as Yinka Shonibare’s Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle. In the United States, Dr. Shirey is especially interested in the work of contemporary multi-media artist Magdalena Campos-Pons and her investigation of intersecting identities. Her new research, inspired by a Fulbright semester at Tsinghua University in Beijing, focuses on the representation of Africa in contemporary China.
Research Interest
African Diaspora in South America, North America, Europe, and AsiaArt, politics and identity construction in the African-Brazilian religion Candomblé as well as the role of photography
Publications
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Begun LH. Heather Shirey Heather Shirey is assistant professor of art history at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota. hmshirey@ stthomas. edu. African Arts. 2010;43(4):84-7.
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Shirey H. Candomblé Beads and Identity in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions. 2012 Aug 1;16(1):36-60.
