Mediterranean Ancient and Modern: Tara Trahey

Mediterranean Ancient and Modern:  Tara Trahey

Senior Tara Trahey is a double major in Art History/Visual Arts and European and Italian Studies at Duke. She is minoring in Classical Studies. Deciding to pursue a new language at Duke, she chose Italian—based on her past brief travel experiences in the country and her fascination with the culture. The study of Italy, both in history and language, has now entirely informed her academic and research experience at Duke. Tara’s research is centered around the art of the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly in the figured vase trade between Ancient Athens and Etruria (now modern day Tuscany). Though she focuses on the ancient world, she is fascinated by the modern receptions of antiquity. She is constantly reminded of the way the ancient world has informed the conceptions of our modern histories. The faculty of the Italian Studies department have been incredible guides and mentors to Tara. Importantly, they have emphasized the context of a language—the importance of history, politics, and the intricacies of a culture, both past and present. Through her major in Italian Studies, Tara has been continuously exposed to different forms of art—theater, literature, and the visual—importantly exploring the ways in which these inform our understanding of Italy.

Tara spent this summer in the Tuscan region of Italy, exploring her own research interests and learning digital archaeological tools through Duke’s summer study abroad program. She plans to continue into a graduate program in Art History, continuing to explore the past and present of the Mediterranean. The interests that she has in the interaction of peoples, and the impact of this interaction on social narratives, have been both encouraged and fostered through her experience with the Italian department. She hopes to become fluent in Italian, by spending more time in the country through her research. Art historical research requires direct engagement with material culture. The language preparation that Tara has received through the department has adequately prepared her for navigating Italian scholarship and resource materials. Through her work at Duke she feels both confident and excited for the time she plans to spend in Italy as a professor and educator in the art of the Mediterranean.