Ivan Gaskell

Ivan Gaskell is a Professor at the Bard Graduate Center, New York, a leading institution for advanced study in material culture, decorative arts, and design history. His interdisciplinary work bridges art history, anthropology, and philosophy, focusing on the Material Culture of North America, Oceania, and Europe across four centuries. As a former faculty member at Cambridge University and Harvard University, he has curated exhibitions and authored 16 books while contributing to major journals in philosophy and art history.

• Education: PhD and MA from University of Cambridge, BA Hons. from University of Oxford

Philosophically, Gaskell investigates historical taxonomy—a concept accounting for historical contingency in categorization. His recent research examines tensions between institutional agendas and disinterested philosophical inquiry in museums, particularly through the Guggenheim Museum's Panza Collection Initiative. This work intersects with his broader interests in object categorization, museum ethics, and the philosophy of material culture.

Scientific Awards:

• Permanent Senior Fellow, Lichtenberg-Kolleg (2017)

His publications emphasize materiality's role in understanding human experience, including experimental collaborations with conservators and curators. Current projects explore degradation aesthetics and conservation ethics, reflecting his commitment to merging philosophical rigor with tangible cultural analysis.