Professor Amy Tobin is Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Newnham College, and the Curator of Contemporary Programmes at Kettle’s Yard. Her research is centered on the histories and methodologies of Art Feminism Collectivity Cambridge, focusing on art, political struggle, and alternative cultures in the later 20th and 21st centuries. She is the author of the monograph Women Artists Together: Art in the Age of Women’s Liberation (Yale, 2023) and has curated numerous exhibitions on figures like Louise Bourgeois and Lubaina Himid.
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Professor Amy Tobin, Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art | Art Feminism Collectivity Cambridge
- Curator, Contemporary Programmes at Kettle’s Yard; Fellow of Newnham College
Quick Profile Summary
| Detail | Content |
|---|---|
| Position | Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art / Curator |
| Affiliation | University of Cambridge; Kettle’s Yard; Newnham College |
| Key Background | Author (Women Artists Together, Yale, 2023), Co-Director CVC, AHRC-IRC Grant Co-I, Active Curator |
| Specialization | Feminist Art History, Political Struggle, Collaborative Art Practices, 20th and 21st Century Art |
| Core Focus | Histories of feminism, alternative cultures, and the politics of collaboration and collectivity in art, including intersections with race, class, gender, and sexuality. |
Introduction and Research Niche
Professor Amy Tobin is a dynamic art historian and curator specializing in Modern and Contemporary Art. Her research is defined by a commitment to inclusive feminism and the study of political struggle, encapsulated by the theme of Art Feminism Collectivity Cambridge. She is particularly interested in the politics and methodologies of feminist art history, focusing on the formation of alternative cultures, collaboration, and collectivity as modes of artistic and political resistance.
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As Curator of Contemporary Programmes at Kettle’s Yard, Professor Tobin actively translates her scholarly research into public exhibition practice, having curated or co-curated major shows on artists including Louise Bourgeois, Lubaina Himid, and Linder. Her work extends beyond History of Art, regularly engaging with interdisciplinary areas like Gender Studies, Film, and Literature.
Graduate Research Opportunities (For Prospective Students)
Professor Tobin welcomes applications for graduate study on subjects intersecting with feminism, art, and politics in the later $20^{th}$ and $21^{st}$ centuries. Her supervisory interests span three key areas:
1. Research Stream: Feminist Art History and Political Struggle
This stream focuses on the histories and methodologies of feminism in art, and adjacent political and epistemological struggles (including around gender, sexuality, race, and class).
- Topics: Histories of feminist and women artists (e.g., Helen Chadwick, Mary Kelly, Jo Spence, Cecilia Vicuña); art and political struggle in the later 20th and 21st centuries; methodological approaches to writing feminist art history.
2. Research Stream: Collaboration, Collectivity, and Alternative Cultures
Building on her monograph, this stream examines the institutional and relational politics of artists working together, and the formation of non-commercial art circuits.
- Topics: The politics of collaboration and collectivity in art movements (e.g., the Women’s Art Movement); alternative institutional models and spaces; artist publishing (e.g., Heresies journal); the analysis of exhibition catalogues as a form of research.
3. Interdisciplinary Focus: Gender, Queerness, and Contemporary Practice
This area welcomes projects using critical theory to analyze contemporary and moving image art practices, especially those challenging norms of gender and identity.
- Topics: Trans studies and art, queer art and theory; artist moving image (especially intersections between art, film, and feminism in the 1970s); contemporary British and American art; working across disciplines such as English, Gender Studies, and Film and Screen Studies.
Key Awards and Professional Roles
| Year | Award / Fellowship | Institution / Body |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Professor (On Sabbatical Leave) | University of Cambridge |
| Ongoing | Curator, Contemporary Programmes | Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge |
| 2021–2025 | Co-I, Oral History Project | AHRC-IRC-funded Feminist Art Making Histories |
| 2021–2025 | Co-Director | Cambridge Visual Culture (CVC) |
| 2019–2023 | Co-Organiser, Research Network | Groupwork: Art and Feminism |
Selected Publications
Monograph (2023): Women Artists Together: Art in the Age of Women’s Liberation. Yale University Press.
Co-Edited Book (2024): Cecilia Vicuña, Saborami: An Expanded Facsimile Edition (co-edited with Luke Roberts). Book Works.
Journal Article (2023): “Candace Hill-Montgomery Against Containment.” Art History, vol.46, no.1.
Peer-Reviewed Book Chapter (2019): “On Feminism, Art and Collaboration.” in A Companion to Feminist Art. Blackwell.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Article (2019): “‘Heresies’ Heresies: Collaboration and Dispute in a Feminist Publication on Art and Politics.” Women: A Cultural Review, vol.30, no.3.
Contact Information
Prospective students interested in supervision should reach out via the following channels:
| Detail | Content |
|---|---|
| Email Address Phone Number | ajt207@cam.ac.uk 01223 330462 (Department Office) |
| College Affiliation | Newnham College |
| University Profile Page | Professor Amy Tobin’s University of Cambridge Profile |
Supervisory Ethos
Professor Tobin’s supervisory ethos is collaborative, inclusive, and dedicated to methodological rigor. She is committed to developing projects that operate across traditional disciplinary boundaries, especially between art history, theory, and cultural studies. She seeks candidates who demonstrate a critical engagement with issues of gender, race, and class in the later 20th and 21st centuries, and who are keen to explore the theoretical and practical role of Art Feminism Collectivity Cambridge. Given her dual role as an academic and a curator, she is uniquely positioned to guide students interested in connecting historical research with contemporary exhibition practice and public engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is Professor Tobin currently accepting new PhD students?
Professor Tobin is currently on sabbatical leave for the 2025/2026 academic year. She welcomes applications for graduate study, but new supervisions will formally commence after her sabbatical period concludes.
2. Does Professor Tobin only supervise students in the History of Art Department?
No. She has supervised and co-supervised students in other departments, including English, Gender Studies, and Film and Screen Studies, reflecting her highly interdisciplinary approach.
3. What is the main argument of her book, Women Artists Together?
The book focuses on the politics of collaboration and collectivity within the Women’s Liberation Movement, arguing that working together was a vital, political, and formal strategy for women artists of the age.
4. Can I propose a project on a contemporary artist from outside the UK/US?
Yes. While she has extensive expertise in contemporary British and American art, her co-edited work on Li Yuan-chia and her co-editing of Homelands: Art from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan demonstrates an interest in global contexts.
5. What is the connection between her academic work and her curatorial role at Kettle’s Yard?
Her curatorial work directly informs her research, providing practical context on display, audience, and the life of artworks. Her exhibitions (e.g., on Lubaina Himid, Linder) often align with her scholarly interest in feminist and political art.
6. Does she supervise research on queer and trans art histories?
Yes. She explicitly welcomes applications for graduate study on trans studies and art and queer art and theory in the later $20^{th}$ and $21^{st}$ centuries.
7. Which period of art history is her primary focus?
Her research is concentrated on modern and contemporary art, primarily from the $1970$s to the present day, focusing on the impact of political and social movements.
8. What is the AHRC-IRC Feminist Art Making Histories project?
This was an oral history project that Professor Tobin co-led, aimed at gathering and analyzing the memories and experiences of feminist artists, underscoring her commitment to oral history as a methodology.
9. What does she mean by an “inclusive feminism”?
This refers to her commitment to researching the intersections of feminism with other struggles, including those around race, class, and sexuality, ensuring her analysis moves beyond a singular focus on gender.
10. What kind of prior academic background is preferred for applicants?
A strong background in Art History is required, but an MPhil/MA in Critical Theory, Gender Studies, or Film Studies would be highly advantageous for interdisciplinary projects.
