Art History Grad Student's Work in Tanzania

Janet Purdy at Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Mosque Library in Ahmedabad, India, in December 2017. Photo courtesy Janet Purdy.

The Risks and Rewards of Art History : Janet Purdy's Immersive Experiences in Africa

When art history doctoral candidate Janet Purdy left a lucrative career as a designer in Chicago to attend graduate school and study African art, she knew that she was taking a chance. What she had not anticipated was that while packing for the move, she would uncover old sketchbooks from her undergraduate days filled with drawings of African textiles and patterns that would prove she was making the right decision.

“I had completely forgotten about them, but I was always fascinated with design and how cultures communicated through patterns and iconography,” noted Purdy. “Finding those drawings at that time was a really special ‘close the circle’ moment.”

Purdy’s dissertation research focuses on the patterns of carved wooden doors as a form of historical documentation and conveyor of ideology and identity. By investigating their sociopolitical contexts throughout the Swahili Coast, she aims to reveal the doors’ meanings within their cultures and preserve their role in communication and narrative. Her project combines research, archaeology, and digital mapping and reproduction, making stylistic and symbolic connections across Indian Ocean trade routes.

In 2017, Purdy was awarded a Critical Language Scholarship by the U.S. Department of State to study Swahili in Tanzania for two months. She was one of twenty-three American students who participated in this intensive language and cultural immersion program, the first year that Swahili was included on the list of languages understudied by American students and government.

Purdy is a student of Bill Dewey, associate professor of art history in the College of Arts and Architecture and director of the African Studies program in the College of the Liberal Arts. “I couldn’t ask for a better adviser. I also have a rock-star dissertation committee [Madhuri Desai, Amara Solari, and Christopher Tounsel] that keeps encouraging me to shoot higher. The Department of Art History provides the perfect mix—a collegial environment, a traditional program, and the opportunity to take a more creative approach.”

Purdy’s most recent research trips have been to the Swahili coast in fall 2017 and India and Dubai over the 2017–18 winter break. Much of Purdy’s research requires her to be on site, due to the limited availability of non-colonial written historical sources.

“I focus on building connections with families and artists who then connect me to people with the information I am trying to find. The archives and museums have been really supportive as well, but it is a process that requires in-person visits and investing time to create relationships and earn trust,” she explained.

Purdy’s goal is to someday teach at the college level, while continuing to travel and take photographs around the world. Her photographs from Africa were recently featured in Penn State Research magazine and on the cover of the publication of the Interinstitutional Center for Indigenous Knowledge at Penn State. Leading by example, Purdy hopes to mentor students interested in other cultures and histories and to encourage people to pursue their passions.

“I am happier than I ever imagined being, and I am so grateful for these opportunities that I want to help other people find that feeling,” said Purdy. “That’s why I want to teach.” –SST

At “press time,” we learned that Janet received a Fulbright award to conduct research in Tanzania during the 2018–19 academic year. Congratulations, Janet!

Schoolchildren on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania. Photo by Janet Purdy.

The Great Mosque of Kilwa on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania. Photo by Janet Purdy.

The Atlantic coast in Accra, Ghana. Photo by Janet Purdy.