Trinidadian-born art and museum scholar Dr. Daniela Fifi is preparing to embark on an international book tour to promote her groundbreaking new publication, Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums.
The highly anticipated tour will kick off on Tuesday, May 27, at Western Washington University in Seattle and will extend through the fall with stops across the United States, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.
Published by Routledge Press in April, Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums is one of the first books the academic powerhouse has released focusing specifically on Caribbean museology. The work explores how museums in the region—viewed as unique cultural institutions—can innovate and remain relevant by sharing best practices, reimagining their roles in society, and amplifying Caribbean cultural and social histories.
Fifi, a former recipient of the President’s Scholar Award from Pratt Institute and the Samuel H. Kress Interpretive Fellowship from Columbia University, describes the book as “a labor of love,” rooted in her deep commitment to the Caribbean as both a cultural and intellectual space.
“The book reflects the aspirations of a collective vision from museum professionals across the Caribbean on how cultural institutions can positively impact the lives and knowledge of the people they serve,” Fifi explained. “It’s for anyone who loves culture, museums, and the arts—and especially relevant to researchers, students, and museum professionals.”
Far from being a critique, the book offers a critical analysis aimed at supporting growth, creativity, and innovation in the Caribbean museum sector. Fifi authored or co-authored four chapters, including a lead chapter on the development of museum education in the region, her area of specialization.
“This is the first book I’ve edited with a team of co-authors, and the experience has strengthened my collaborative skills in ways I couldn’t have anticipated,” she added.
Dr. Fifi’s journey began in Trinidad and Tobago, where teenage art classes in painting, photography, and pottery laid the groundwork for a creative career. She earned her BFA in Communication Design from Pratt Institute, followed by a Master’s in Art Gallery and Museum Studies from the University of Manchester and a doctorate in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Viewfinder, the e-journal of the National Art Education Association, and works as an international consultant.
Her next project, The Mind of the Museum, will expand the conversation with a multidisciplinary series of lectures, podcasts, and exhibitions that explore the post-colonial evolution of Caribbean museums.
Following the Seattle launch, tour stops will include:
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A House for Artists, London – July
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Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach – August
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Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore – September
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Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Bridgetown – October
Additional dates and venues are expected to be announced soon.
Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums is now available from Routledge Press: https://www.routledge.com/Critical-Issues-in-Caribbean-Museums/Fifi/p/book/9781032493121.
