Anne-Marie Bouchard

Anne-Marie Bouchard

PhD 2009, Université de Montreal
Curator of Modern Art (1900-1949), Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
Associate Professor, History Department, Laval University

Anne-Marie Bouchard holds a PhD in art history from the University of Montreal. From 2010 to 2014, she held a postdoctoral fellowship from the Government of Quebec at Laval University, and from the Government of Canada at McGill University and the University of Panthéon-Assas (Paris 2). She has taught, published and presented at conferences in North America and Europe. Since 2014 she has been curator of modern art at the MNBAQ, where she has organized the exhibitions 1950 — Quebec Through the Eyes of American Photojournalist Lida Moser, and A Private Passion. Modern Art in Québec from the Pierre Lassonde Collection, as well as a reinstallation of the ancient and modern art collections, 350 Years of Artistic Practices in Quebec. In 2017 she published a book for children, My visit to the museum: Modern Art in Quebec with Éditions Auzou. She also teaches museology at Laval University.

How are you applying your degree in Art History and what do you value most from your Art History experience?

My academic experience is crucial to my work as a curator. Over the course of my studies, I gained historical and theoretical knowledge that has enabled me to develop the modern art collection at the MNBAQ and to showcase that collection through the exhibitions and catalogues I am responsible for. The interests in visual culture, feminism and postcolonialism that I developed during my studies all inform my reflection on Quebec’s art-historical canon and the importance of examining it from the margins. A large part of my current research is dedicated to modern women artists, who are under-represented in the museum’s collection.

During my doctoral study at the University of Montreal, I had multiple opportunities to teach. That experience was really a revelation for me, bringing out my passion for communicating to both scholarly audiences and the general public. In addition to my university teaching, I often give presentations at the museum and I am a regular guest on Radio-Canada’s History Today program.

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

Don’t limit the development of your professional network to the academic environment because there are many career possibilities outside the university. Also, it’s important to gain practical experience, whether in teaching or in the cultural sphere. These are the experiences will open doors for you — sometimes surprising ones!