I am nominally an historian of Islamic art. That means that I am often a generalist in the classroom, teaching courses that range from
the Alhambra to the Taj Mahal. More specifically, however, I am interested in the cracks between cultures and the genesis of new traditions. Often, the two themes overlap in seemingly disparate projects: a study of tomb architecture in the Indus Valley (8-12th century), a consideration of portraiture and iconoclasm, and work on cross-cultural perception and representation. Most recently, I have curated two exhibitions which address these and related issues (Noble Dreams, Wicked Pleasures: American Orientalism 1870-1930 at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown and Through Afghan Eyes at the Asia Society in New York (co-curator)).