Trinidadian Scholar Shakes Up Museum World With Groundbreaking Book On Caribbean Culture

News Americas, New York, NY, May 13, 2025: Award-winning Trinidadian-born art and museum scholar Dr. Daniela Fifi is set to launch an international book tour for her groundbreaking new publication, Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums. The tour kicks off on May 27th at Western Washington University in Seattle and will include stops across the United States, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom through the fall.

Trinidadian born art scholar, Dr. Daniela Fifi, whose international tour to promote her groundbreaking book Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums, kicks off in two weeks in Seattle, Washington. (PHOTO CREDIT- Sure Thing Productions)

Published by Routledge Press in April, Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums marks a pivotal moment in the academic study of Caribbean museology. As one of the first works from Routledge to focus on this field, the book delves into how Caribbean museums can evolve to better serve their communities – by pushing creative boundaries, sharing best practices, and reimagining the role of cultural institutions in contemporary Caribbean society.

Dr. Fifi, a past recipient of the prestigious President’s Scholar Award from Pratt Institute and the Samuel H. Kress Interpretive Fellowship Award from Columbia University, describes the book as a heartfelt tribute to Caribbean culture—not merely as a place, but as a dynamic and interconnected cultural space.

“This book is a reflection of collective aspirations from museum professionals throughout the Caribbean,” Fifi noted. “It explores the transformative potential of cultural institutions and is intended for everyone from museum enthusiasts and researchers to professors, graduate students, and cultural heritage professionals.”

Rather than a critique, the book provides a rigorous analysis of the sector, aimed at fostering innovation, creativity, and long-term growth.

“Criticality in any field means interrogating essential issues to challenge assumptions and inspire new approaches,” she added. “Through this lens, we can reimagine our practices, elevate standards, and plan for the future of Caribbean museums.”

Dr. Fifi contributed four chapters to the book, including a major piece on the development of museum education, her area of expertise. The volume also features curatorial perspectives on Caribbean art and insights from other leading museum professionals across the region. She emphasized how editing the book alongside co-authors sharpened her collaborative skills.

A proud daughter of Trinidad and Tobago, Fifi’s passion for the arts was nurtured in her teenage years through classes in painting, photography, and pottery. Her journey took her from Trinidad to New York’s Pratt Institute, where she earned a BFA in Communication Design, then to the University of Manchester for a Master’s in Art Gallery and Museum Studies, and finally to Columbia University’s Teachers College, where she completed a Ph.D. in Art and Art Education.

Currently the Editor-in-Chief of Viewfinder, the e-journal of the National Art Education Association, Fifi also serves as a global independent consultant. She is now preparing her next initiative, The Mind Of The Museum, a multidisciplinary project incorporating lectures, podcasts, and international exhibitions that expand on the themes of her book and explore the post-colonial evolution of Caribbean museums.

Following the Seattle launch, the tour will head to A House For Artists in London in July, the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California in August, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in September, and the Barbados Museum and Historical Society in Bridgetown in October. Additional dates and venues are expected to be announced soon.

Critical Issues in Caribbean Museums is available now via Routledge Press.