Transcultural History with HATTIE SPIRES
Hattie and I got together back during all of the Frieze buzz last year. We toured the Mayfair galleries, who were on their finest form, and spent the day chatting about Hattie’s thesis which is centred around the Harlem Renaissance and its relationship with the British Empire. Hattie holds close this fascination with transcultural art throughout history and the impact it has had on today’s art. As a researcher, writer and curator it is precisely this valuable work that can challenge dominant narratives in art history.
Anna McNay boasts a rich academic and creative background, having studied German and Linguistics at the University of Oxford—where she earned her MPhil and secured a Teaching Fellowship—alongside an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship that took her to both Oxford and the Humboldt University in Berlin. Bringing that scholarly precision to the arts, she added an MA in Art History from Birkbeck, University of London, as well as an award-winning NCTJ production journalism qualification to her credentials. Since 2011, McNay has established herself as a prolific writer, editor, curator, and panelist, contributing to high-profile publications ranging from Elephant magazine and State media to Studio International, Art Quarterly, and The FLUX Review. In this exclusive interview, she shares her expert perspective and insider insight on the current state and evolving dynamics of the London art world.