Kathleen Davidson

Kathleen (Kate) Davidson is an Honorary Associate in the Discipline of Art History at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on 19th-century visual culture, intersections of art and science, and imperial networks. She holds a BA from ANU and MA/PhD from the University of Sydney. Previously, she was Curator of International Photography at the National Gallery of Australia.

Education:

• BA (Australian National University)
• MA and PhD (University of Sydney)

Research Interests:

• Nineteenth-century visual culture and photography
• Art-science intersections, particularly in museums
• Imperial/transnational networks and exchanges
• Colonial science and museum practices

Awards & Grants:

• Highly Commended, AAANZ Arts Writing Award 2024 (co-edited Sea Currents in Nineteenth-Century Art, Science and Culture)
• 2019–2023: Postdoctoral Fellow in Art History, University of Sydney
• Grants from the School of Literature, Art and Media and the Association for Art History

Recent Projects:

• 'The Representation of Nature' for A Cultural History of Nature in the Nineteenth Century (Bloomsbury)
• Research on natural science museums and marine life in 19th-century visual culture
• Co-convener of international conferences on art, science, and imperial networks

Lab/Team Affiliations: Collaborates with institutions like the Power Institute and Yale Center for British Art.