Hi, I’m Ashley!
I am the new Gallery Director at the A2AC.
I work with our fantastic team, exhibition committee, and community to develop an exhibition program and public programming for the new A2AC Gallery.
I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. I first moved to Ann Arbor in 2009 to pursue a Ph.D. in the History of Art at U-M and returned with my family in 2019 as a postdoctoral fellow.
Working with the A2AC has been an excellent opportunity for me to connect with the artistic and creative life of this region on a new level.
Even though you might often find me in the library or museum, I’m at my very happiest outdoors.
I love running, hiking, and watching my son, Louis, discover the wonders of nature. During the first year of his life, he hiked the whole Waterloo-Pinckney trail both ways (with a bit of help from us, of course)!
I really enjoy having conversations with people from all walks of life to understand what art means to them.
Our new gallery space has the potential to become so many different things, including a space where diverse voices can be heard. It’s exciting to collaborate with such a dedicated and creative team at A2AC to explore and experiment with these new possibilities.
I’m an art historian by training, specializing in African and Islamic art.
My research is focused on the history of art and craft in Morocco, the northwestern-most country on the African continent, where I’ve spent the last several years conducting fieldwork.
I’ve taught classes on African art at the University of Michigan, and currently, I’m working on a book with a group of colleagues about the history of Muslim art and culture in Africa during the 20th century.
I’ve also always been fascinated with museums and understanding their social role in different communities throughout the world.
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