Lissant Bolton facts for kids

Lissant Mary Bolton, born in 1954, is an Australian anthropologist. This means she studies human societies and cultures. She is in charge of a special department at the British Museum in London. This department looks after items from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Lissant Bolton is famous for her work in Vanuatu, a country in the Pacific Ocean. She also studies textiles (like woven fabrics) and how museums work with local communities.

Lissant Bolton's Career Journey

Lissant Bolton started her museum work in 1979. She joined the Anthropology division at the Australian Museum. Her first job was to help survey Pacific collections.

Working with Pacific Collections

From 1985, she managed the Pacific collection. Later, she became the senior manager. During this time, she took a break to study. She earned her PhD in social anthropology in 1994. This degree was from the University of Manchester.

Research and Museum Roles

In 1996, Bolton left the Australian Museum. She became a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Australian National University. This role meant she did advanced research.

In 1999, she joined the British Museum. She worked as a curator in the Department of Ethnography. A curator is someone who manages and cares for museum collections. This department later became the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. In 2012, Lissant Bolton became the Keeper of this department. This means she is the head of the department.

Working with Communities in Vanuatu

Lissant Bolton visits Vanuatu every year. She works with the Vanuatu Cultural Centre. They create programs to record and protect women's knowledge. They also work to preserve traditional practices.

The Women's Culture Project

Bolton leads the Women's Culture Project. This project trains women from Vanuatu. These women become fieldworkers. They help document and keep their traditional culture safe.

Key Research Projects

Bolton has worked on many important research projects. These projects focus on the anthropology of the Pacific region.

Studying Melanesian Art

From 2005 to 2010, she worked on a project called Melanesian art: objects, narratives and indigenous owners. She worked with Nicholas Thomas from the University of Cambridge.

Engaging with Museum Collections

From 2011 to 2014, she led another project. It was called Engaging Objects: Indigenous Communities, museum collections and the representation of indigenous histories. She worked with the Australian National University and the National Museum of Australia.

Curating Exhibitions at the British Museum

As a curator at the British Museum, Lissant Bolton has created many exhibitions.

Permanent and Temporary Exhibitions

In 2003, she was the main curator for a permanent gallery. It was called Living and Dying. She also curated several temporary shows. These included Power and Taboo: Sacred Objects from the Pacific in 2006. In 2009, she curated Dazzling the Enemy: shields from the Pacific. In 2011, she presented Baskets and Belonging: Indigenous Australian Histories.

Awards and Recognition

Lissant Bolton has received several honors for her work.

Museum Awards

The Living and Dying Gallery, which Bolton curated, won an award. It received the Museums and Heritage Award in 2004. This was for the best Permanent Exhibition.

Speaking Engagements

In 2012, Bolton gave a special speech. It was the Keynote Address at the Australian Anthropological Society Conference. She spoke about objects, museums, and Melanesia.

National Honour

In 2021, Bolton received a high honour in Australia. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. This was for her important work in museums and anthropology.