Postdoctoral researcher in Practice-Based Artistic Research

The Department of Digital Design and Information Studies within the School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for a postdoctoral position in practice-based artistic research. The postdoctoral role is associated with the research project ‘Reparative Encounters: Repairing Danish Colonial Legacies through Arts-Based Collaboration’, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation Semper Ardens: Accelerate.

The postdoctoral position is a full-time, fixed-term role for two years. It starts on 1 June 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

Project

‘Reparative Encounters: Repairing Danish Colonial Legacies through Arts-Based Collaboration’ investigates the connections, differences, and potential solidarities between four regions differently impacted by Danish colonialism: the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Ghana, Kalaallit Nunaat and the Faroe Islands. The project employs collaborative artistic research between scholars and artists from these regions to generate dialogue between different experiences of coloniality and to create new knowledge about colonial legacies through artistic creation. Central to the project is the premise that collaborative artistic research can generate new knowledge by accessing experiences that are difficult to capture through art historical analysis or qualitative methods alone. Art practices engage creatively with embodied memory and material remnants of colonial history, opening new possibilities for articulating untold perspectives. Research questions driving the project are:

1) Which commonalities, differences and solidarities emerge when artists and scholars from regions differently impacted by Danish colonialism collaborate through artistic creation?
2) How do the resulting artistic practices produce new understandings of colonial experiences?

3) How can exhibitions enhance our understanding of colonial legacies between the USVI, Ghana, Kalaallit Nunaat, the Faroe Islands and Denmark? Which curatorial strategies are best suited for repairing disrupted relationships?

The project’s research design combines:

1) collective artist residencies in the USVI, Denmark, Ghana, Kalaallit Nunaat and the Faroe Islands to foster collaborative creation;

2) a travelling exhibition that evolves as it moves from the USVI, Denmark, Ghana, Kalaallit Nunaat and the Faroe Islands; and

3) outreach activities and interdisciplinary public programmes held alongside each exhibition.

Postdoctoral position

We are seeking an applicant who can collaborate closely and effectively within a project group comprising artists, curators, and researchers. Applicants should be practice-based researchers holding a PhD or equivalent qualifications in fields such as arts and cultural studies, visual culture, artistic research, curatorial studies, or other relevant disciplines. Prior experience in research and artistic interventions within the postcolonial and decolonial fields is essential. Experience of collaborative artistic research will be regarded as an advantage. The project’s team will use English as its working language.

The successful applicant will be expected to:

• work on the creation of two exhibitions, one in the US Virgin Islands and one in Denmark, in collaboration with the project team
• produce artistic work relevant to the project, to be presented at the exhibitions
• co-organise outreach activities and public programmes associated with the exhibitions
• co-organise the publications associated with the exhibitions
• write research articles individually and/or in collaboration with the project team
• take an active part in developing and fulfilling the different processes, meetings and events related to the project in close collaboration with the project team

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree or document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to practice-based artistic research in postcolonial or decolonial contexts. Applicants must be able to document relevant to the position

• an internationally oriented research profile within practice-based artistic research, as documented by a PhD dissertation and/or research publications as well as artistic work and/or exhibitions
• experience in the self-directed management of research projects
• experience in organising exhibitions, outreach activities and public programmes
• experience of publishing articles in international research journals
• ability to understand, communicate, and write in English
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, to engage fruitfully both within the research team and with external organisations and institutions.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document

• a track record of research publications of a high international standard, as commensurate with the length of the applicant’s academic career
• experience of participation in national and international research networks
• experience of arts and research funding applications
• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions.

Finally, applicants are asked to provide a proposal for research and artistic work to be undertaken within the stated framework of the research project (max. three pages).
This could include a brief introduction to previous work in the field and ideas for artworks, public programmes, outreach activities, relevant articles, and other types of publications.

Please note that while the application process can be completed on the Aarhus University system without uploading publications, applications that do not include uploaded publications (a maximum of two) will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system offers an option to upload letters of recommendation, please refrain from including letters of recommendation or references with your application. Applicants invited for an interview may be asked to provide references.