Jennifer Davis Taylor
Beyond the Form
A rupture is not just a break—it is a catalyst.
Whether in my studio or my research, I investigate how objects—books, artworks, and domestic forms—carry histories, invite transformation, and participate in meaning-making.
The moments where meaning shifts—where objects, texts, and traditions break and dissolve—hold the beginnings of new life. My studio practice explores how standard forms like cookbooks and domestic furniture can break free from their intended purpose through processes of deconstruction and transformation. I like to ask objects what they want to become—and then help them get there.
My academic research examines multi-modal argumentation, critical thinking, and embodied methodologies of interpretation. By combining historical investigation with creative practice, I explore how material and embodied processes shape identity and interpretation—both in the past and in contemporary discourse.For example, my recent work on Charles Perrault uncovered how he used multi-modal structures—visual art, poetry, the book form, and architecture—to craft typological arguments about women's political and cultural roles in Early Modern France.
Current Research
My postdoctoral project, "Constructing Eve in Word and Image: A Forgotten Tale by Charles Perrault," examines how material processes and book design shape gendered identity. Focusing on an iconic female character foundational to many portrayals of women, this project reconstructs how J.B. Coignard (printer), C. Simonneau (engraver), and Noël Coypel (painter) collaboratively shaped Perrault’s version of Eve in his retelling of Genesis.
Supported by the Centre for Book Cultures and Publishing at the University of Reading, I am using historical printing techniques to reconstruct how Perrault’s Eve was visually and textually crafted. In parallel, I am creating new artifacts that blend historical methods with contemporary tools, exploring how book design not only reflected but actively reinforced narratives of gender. This interdisciplinary approach reveals how material texts do not just represent gendered identity but physically imprint it through the act of reading itself—both in Early Modern France and in contemporary culture.
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About Me.
I am a fine artist and art historian currently based in the United Kingdom, working at the intersection of material texts, visual culture, and intellectual history. My research explores how material processes shape identity, meaning, and interpretation. I hold a PhD in Art and Intellectual History from The Warburg Institute, University of London, where my work focused on feminist studies, visual culture, and multi-modal rhetorical strategies. Passionate about blending historical research with material exploration, I emphasize understanding creative works through both critical analysis and hands-on production, emphasizing that the best interpretation will include the perspective(s) of the maker(s).
As an exhibited fine artist with an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, my creative work explores performance, transformation, and deconstruction as a matrix for the birth of meaning. My work has been featured in exhibitions at the Boston Cyclorama and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.