Vanel

Vanel is a Professor of Art History at the American University of Paris (AUP), where they teach courses examining the relationship between art, culture, and Paris's rich artistic heritage. Their teaching philosophy emphasizes critical engagement with art institutions and encourages students to analyze how museums present their collections, noting that 'the Louvre has become an airport and the Pompidou Center has lost sight of its original mission.'

Vanel's research spans multiple interconnected domains:

• Art historical analysis of Pop Art within its cultural context
• The counterculture movements of the 1960s (civil rights, sexual revolution, anti-war protests)
• Muzak and ambient music, exploring connections between commercial products and avant-garde concepts from Satie to Cage to Eno
• Critical museum studies examining institutional presentation of art

As a curator, Vanel organized the significant Andy Warhol exhibition at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2015-2016), approaching it as 'the kind of medium that he would have toyed with' and creating an experience that 'forces the viewer into an active role.'

Vanel maintains a strong commitment to student collaboration, having worked with AUP students on translating exhibition materials for the Paula Modersohn-Becker exhibition. They integrate teaching with professional practice, believing that 'the best relationships between life and work usually come about when your work feels like pleasure.'