Dr. Christopher Richards completed his Ph.D. in African art at the University of Florida in 2014. His dissertation explored the powerful role of fashion in shaping the identities of post-independence Ghanaians and documented the historical longevity of Ghana's designer fashions. Richards recently completed a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Centre for the Creative Arts of Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. As part of his fellowship, he co-curated the exhibition Abundance: Beadwork, Art and the Body. Richards has held research positions and internships at a variety of museums, including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Museum of African Art. His first guest curated exhibition, "Kabas and Couture: Contemporary Ghanaian Fashion," was on view at the Harn Museum from February to August of 2015. He is currently working on his first book that will focus on the vibrancy and dynamism of Ghana's post-independence fashion culture.
