Test Home - Dr Amy Mechowski

Dr. Amy Mechowski

Freelance Art Historian and Curator.

After completing a PhD in the History of Art at UCL, Amy has worked extensively in museums and education for over 20 years

Dr. Amy Mechowski studied History of Art at University College London, including an MA in ‘Modernism and the Politics of Representation’ and a PhD on women’s self-portraiture in fin-de-siècle photography. Originally from Chicago, she is a freelance art historian, lecturer and curator, specializing in issues of sexuality and gender in 19th-century art and material culture. She spent nearly 8 years working for the Victoria and Albert Museum – first in curatorial roles across three collections departments (Asia; Word & Image; Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics & Glass), and then as Head of the V&A Academy.

She was Curator of The Garrick Club Art Collection until June of last year and now leads courses on contemporary curating for Sotheby’s Institute of Art as well as the 19th century module of The National Gallery’s Stories of Art course. She was a Research Fellow at the Yale Center for British Art and made a guest appearance on the BBC Four’s Fig Leaf: The Biggest Cover-Up in History, which explored the history of the nude in Western art.

Among her most recent publications is the final chapter in Sculpture, Sexuality and History: Encounters in Literature, Culture and the Arts from the Eighteenth Century to the Present, exploring the display and reception of 19th-century sculptures of the female nude in the V&A (Palgrave, 2019).

Lecturing

Whether it’s talks for individuals, small groups, or organisations, I deliver bespoke lectures on a variety of subjects related to the History of Art and curating on-site in museums and galleries as well as private and public venues. I especially excel at delivering guided tours for family and friends who are looking for a specialised and very personal tour of a museum, gallery, or exhibition during their stay in London or as special occasion gifts.

Curating

From developing skills in curating to pursue a career in museums and galleries to curating your own pop-up exhibition for the public or privately, in your own home, I provide tutoring and mentoring assistance for beginners as well as professional developers.

Private Tuition

Having assisted students who are keen amateurs and want to learn the History of Art for their own pleasure and enjoyment as well as students who are studying at BA and MA level at university and art school, I am an experienced tutor who tailors programmes of study to suit the needs and expectations of every individual learner.

My Work

Without a doubt, the course taught by Amy was the highlight of my study abroad experience and one of the most memorable courses I have ever taken in my undergraduate career. Amy instructs with an unparalleled degree of subject expertise and pedagogical knowledge. By organizing museum visits and group projects, Amy fosters student engagement and creative collaboration in every minute of class. Beyond this, she genuinely cares for her students and makes a deliberate effort to get to know us individually. She dedicates time before and after class to answer our questions and review our progress. She answers emails promptly and thoroughly, offering additional guidance that demonstrates her investment in our learning. I cannot recommend Amy enough, and I believe she would be a wonderful asset to any institution or team. Any student would be lucky to have her as their professor!

I think Amy’s prior experience being a study abroad student herself, and now an American living and working abroad, gives great insight to a student who is studying in a foreign country. The excitement and awe of studying abroad was something she had experienced too. As an art history major, I think the subject of our class was very different from any prior art history course I had taken before. She made a point of really incorporating the city and its sites into our curriculum, mostly through on-site museum visits and readings that were specifically tailored to our lessons. I had great feedback on my assignments, understood the comments she made on my writing, and was really able to improve my work.

Professor Mechowski did an outstanding job providing knowledge and carefully conveying the curatorial strategies that are used in forming London’s museums. Her class allowed me to explore a field completely different from computer science, and she always kept it interesting. Whenever I had questions or talked to her about topics that interested me, she would respond promptly and insightfully. Professor Mechowski’s course pace was great and any institution would be lucky to have her.

Amy’s course entailed a range of visits, seminars and guest speakers from within the industry to present and discuss the many facets of the art world, specifically around collecting and curating. During the course, Amy delivered several presentations and open discussions and her knowledge and experience was evident. During the visits, which ranged from local galleries to national museums, Amy's rapport with fellow curators, gallerists and us, the students, was great. No question went unanswered and the behind-the-scenes insight was fascinating. Overall, the course was great, and it was presented and delivered by someone who is passionate about the art world and in sharing this knowledge with others

Dr. Mechowski’s course was taught in an innovative fashion including many site visits to galleries and museums in London as well as a study trip to Amsterdam. The programme was well laid out with clear expectations. Lectures were relevant to projects and she actively encouraged dialogue, discussion and analysis. She was always available to answer questions and give thoughtful critical feedback. I kept materials and lecture notes from the programme which I subsequently had occasion to refer to whilst doing my Masters degree. Dr. Mechowski is a knowledgeable, passionate tutor who takes the time to actively engage with students providing an environment to actively learn and develop.

To say that Professor Mechowski was, and is, my favorite professor is an understatement. Of course, having London as our classroom allowed for an immersive experience when studying museums and art, but my love, knowledge, and appreciation for art was only enhanced by Professor Mechowski guiding me through this unknown territory. Her thoughtfully crafted on-site lectures supplied me with the rudimentary principles of how to think critically and comprehensively about art. A big part of her effectiveness as a teacher is based on her curatorial knowledge and her focus on the complete experience of a museum; its spaces and history and the artifacts it contains. As a student who was not used to learning in an environment like a museum, it made my experience less daunting. Her knowledge made me want to study art on my own—I went to the V&A four more times and even got my V&A library card because I wanted to learn more. The knowledge I gained in her course and the places she took us have left a lasting impression on me as a student and firmly impacted my studies. I would gladly take a course with her again.

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