Zoë Chan

1.  How are you applying your degree in Art History from Concordia?

I currently work as an independent curator and occasionally as a critic. As a curator, I’ve worked with Articule, Foreman Art Gallery, Kamloops Art Gallery, the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), and MSVU Art Gallery, and I’ve published reviews in C Magazine, esse arts + opinions, and Momus.

2. What do you value most from your Art History experience?

I can’t say enough positive things about my thesis advisor Dr. Johanne Sloan. She was always so enthusiastic and engaged. She gave me a lot of freedom to explore my various interests within my thesis, but was also great at helping me fine tune the topics I would eventually focus on. She was also a fantastic editor.

3. Is there a particular memory that stands out from your time at Concordia?

I remember on my first day receiving a welcome package from the department assistant Anna Waclawek and that she had written my name individually in fancy script on the cover. (She had done that for each new graduate student!) It was a really nice way to start my studies and emblematic of the friendly atmosphere and the support that I would receive from faculty like Alice Ming Wai Jim, Martha Langford, Loren Lerner, Catherine MacKenzie, and of course Johanne Sloan.

4.  What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in Art History?

I would suggest working and/or volunteering in the arts milieu while in school, if you haven’t already done so. I was already working at a gallery while working on my MA. Although it was sometimes hard to balance the two, ultimately I’m glad to have had that mix of both practical and academic experience. I would also encourage attending, as much as possible, talks by artists, curators, and art historians happening at Concordia and elsewhere, as well as the many exhibitions, performances, and events taking place in Montreal.