Verity Mackenzie

Verity Mackenzie is an Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of History of Art at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on Surrealism, particularly through the lens of British artist Eileen Agar and the exploration of gender, ritual, and female pleasure. She holds a PhD from Cambridge, funded by the AHRC, and an MFA from Parsons School of Design. Her MPhil thesis examined Surrealist mannequins, also AHRC-funded. She has worked at leading auction houses (Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Bonham’s) and fashion publications (British and American Vogue). Currently, she is developing a collection of Surrealist poems.

• Education:
• PhD in History of Art (University of Cambridge, AHRC-funded)
• MFA in Design (Parsons School of Design, The New School President’s Scholarship)
• BA History of Art (University of Cambridge, First Class Honours)

Her teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including The Poetics and Politics of Surrealism, Art Against the World Visual Art after 1945, and The Politics of Display. Her research bridges art history, gender studies, and cultural critique, emphasizing the intersection of body politics and avant-garde practices.

Awards:

• Rosemary Murray Scholarship (University of Cambridge)
• Boulind Scholarship (University of Cambridge)
• The New School President’s Scholarship (MFA)

Advising & Grants:

• Recipient of AHRC funding for both PhD and MPhil research
• Supervises undergraduate and MPhil/PhD students in Surrealist studies and modern/contemporary art