On November 29, Pitt students and faculty had the privilege of hearing Paul Farber speak about his career journey. Holding a PhD in American Studies from the University of Michigan, Farber is the creator and director of Monument Lab and also works as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pennsylvania.

If you missed the talk, here are some key takeaways from Paul’s experience straddling academia and the public arts sector.

“Give yourself the greenlight”: Paul’s career path has been an uncertain journey of twists and turns. He attributes his success and personal fulfillment to his willingness to take risks, to “give yourself the
greenlight.” Paul encouraged his audience to “apply to that thing or that money that you think you’ll never get because the person who is better qualified may be too busy and you never know.”

Community: Paul also stressed the importance of community, both in the form of friendships and mentorships. “Institutions can’t love you, but people can,” he explained. Paul and three friends met regularly as they worked through graduate school, staging mock prospectus defenses and reading dissertation chapters. As a result, the group was a source of support as well as one of accountability. Moreover, his research process included reaching out to the relevant artists and their families. Paul found that this effort not only humanized the people he studied but also provided him with an unexpected support network.     

Remember Your Goals: In the seeming precariousness of graduate school, it’s easy to get swept up and lose sight of your needs and your truth. Paul kept his goals in view, whether that meant reminding
himself not to read so much that his vision blurred or continuing to a work on a dissertation project that excited him. In that same vein, Paul knew that public outreach was a priority for him, so he made sure to write a dissertation that was understandable and engaging to understand to a broad audience (he even sent chapters to the artists and their families or review!).

Thank you again to Kirk Savage in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture for organizing the discussion and to Paul for your visit! 

Kylie R.J. Seltzer 
PhD Candidate | Department of the History of Art and Architecture 
Graduate Student Assistant | "Humanities Careers" Project 
kylieseltzer@pitt.edu