Personal profile

Biography

I am a cultural historian specialising in design, visual culture and material culture as cultural history. My background is as a graphic designer which has framed my research as being practice-informed. In summary it is interdisciplinary in focus, frequently collaborative, often public-facing (including tv, radio, exhibitions and public talks) and typically combines historical, theoretical and practice-based concerns. I have been a consultant for many organisations including the Department of Foreign Affairs, RTE, the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin City Council, the ESB, The National Archives (UK), the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and several media companies.

I have been publishing on Irish design (particularly graphic design) for over twenty-five years and have authored the first substantive surveys in the field. My current research interests centre on the digitisation and accessibility of cultural heritage, the role of women in design professionalisation, the visual culture of aviation and travel, regional and mid-century Modernisms and the cultural impact of museum collections. These subjects are typically framed by discourses of national identity, post-colonialism and decolonisation.

Much of my recent work in these areas has been informed by being the Senior IADT Researcher on the FilmEU project CongoVR, a project shared with Lusofona University (Lisbon) and LUCA School of Arts (Belgium) that digitised and made publically accessible for the first time in ninety years, the Panorama of Congo (1913), one of the most infamous pieces of Belgian colonial propaganda: https://congopanorama.filmeu.eu/. This project has resulted in several international exhibitions, with more in the planning stage and under discussion.

At IADT I am a founder member of Thought Lab, a research cluster embracing collaborative and interdisciplinary arts and humanities research focused on, or arising from creative practice; I chair the Institute's Research and Ethics Committee; and I am a Creation Bridge Lead for Elevate, IADT's research capacitation project. I represent IADT nationally on Design Educators Ireland (DEI) and internationally at ELIA (the European League of Institutes of the Arts). I have been an invited member of the UNESCO affliated AICA (Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art) for over twenty years. 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Education/Academic qualification

Oral History Training, British Library

2022

Aurora Women in Leadership Training

20192020

Doctorate, Traditions and Modernities: Aer Lingus and the Visualisation of Irish Identities, 1951-1961, Dublin City University

… → 2007

Postgraduate - Masters, Progressive Housing: the Role of Two Industrial Families in the Development of Philanthropic Architecture in Dublin, National College of Art and Design

Bachelor, Visual Communications and Art and Design History (Joint Honours), National College of Art and Design

External positions

Member: Historical Studies Committee, Royal Irish Academy

20222027

Expert Advisor: Changing Ireland Galleries, National Museum of Ireland

20212026

Chair: Strategy & Engagement Committee, National Museum of Ireland

20192022

Board Member:, National Museum of Ireland

Nov 2018Nov 2023

Visiting Scholar, Concordia University

Jun 2018Jul 2018

External Examiner: PhD, Royal College of Art

2017

Visiting Scholar, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico

Sep 2014

External Examiner: Graphic Design, University of Brighton

20142018

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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
  • Congo-VR

    Flores, V. (PI), Engelen, L. (PI), King, L. (CoI) & David Mendes, A. (CoI)

    3/10/2231/05/24

    Project: Research

  • Digital Mythologies

    King, L. (CoI) & Fox, G. (CoI)

    3/01/2220/12/24

    Project: Research