Kate Rose, a doctoral student in the department of English at Marquette, has undertaken a groundbreaking dissertation project that brings together multiple campus collaborations, including the Graduate School, Haggerty Museum of Art, Raynor Library and the Institutional Repository. Her project, “Affirmation/Transformation: Fandom Created,” is an exhibition currently on display at the Haggerty Museum of Art until Dec. 21.
Rose’s focus is fan studies, a field that explores how people engage with what they are fans of — be it media, sports, celebrities or other interests — and how they interact with their “fan objects.” Her dissertation specifically delves into the creative works produced by fans and the ways in which they are recognized and compensated for their contributions.
The exhibition uses 14 pieces from Haggerty’s permanent collection to illustrate 14 categories of fan creation, encompassing everything from fanfiction, fan art and cosplay to the formation of identities, histories and communities. In addition to these traditional pieces, the exhibition highlights digital fanworks inspired by the fine art pieces, submitted by fans from around the world, from as far as Australia and as close as the Marquette community. These fan submissions showcase a wide array of talents and formats, such as poetry, prose, digital art, watercolor, nail art, gifs, music playlists, original compositions, photography and fiber crafts.
Rose’s motivation for curating this exhibition was rooted in her own identity as a fan.
“I study fandom because I am a fan myself,” she explains. “I have gotten so much out of the fan communities I belong to. Everything that happens there is a collaborative process. To stand up by myself and say ‘this is what fans do,’ without acknowledging everyone else who has made that experience what it is for me, would have felt completely insincere.”
This collaborative approach shaped her vision for the exhibition.
Inspired by the “J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript” exhibition she encountered when she began working at the Haggerty in 2022, and the accompanying Tolkien Fandom Oral History Collection, Rose suggested integrating an archive of fanworks. With the help of Marquette’s Institutional Repository and the Raynor Library IT department, a web app was developed, allowing fanworks to be viewed digitally via tablets in the gallery or accessed online from anywhere. This innovative digital archive ensures the exhibition’s reach extends beyond the walls of the museum.
Rose joined the Haggerty Museum through the Graduate School’s Career Diversity Assistantship. This program provides doctoral humanities students the opportunity to apply their skills and expertise in settings beyond traditional academic environments.
During her time at Haggerty, she explored public-facing humanities, examining how art can influence everyday thoughts and behaviors. Guided by the Haggerty staff, particularly Lynne Shumow, curator for academic engagement, Rose embraced new challenges, curating her own exhibition and participating in the museum’s daily activities. She also led classes through the Haggerty, using art as a teaching tool for students across disciplines, including English, nursing, engineering, theology, biological sciences and history. This experience helped her develop strategies in interdisciplinary teaching, object-based learning, reflection and Ignatian pedagogy. She also gained valuable experience in museum publication, exhibition preparation, marketing and event management.
“Affirmation/Transformation” stands as a pioneering project, using an art exhibition as the foundation for an English dissertation — something that has not been done before. It reflects the Haggerty’s mission of using “the interdisciplinary lens of art to cultivate knowledge, insight, understanding and belonging.”
Rose’s goal was to present her dissertation in a way that was accessible and engaging to people beyond her immediate academic peers.
“I think that fans can get a bad rap. For example, the belief that the word ‘fan’ is a shortening of the word ‘fanatic,’” Rose says. “It might be, but it might just as likely come from the word ‘fancy’ meaning ‘an inclination or liking’ — think of the British usage, or Taylor Swift’s lyric ‘I fancy you’. My hope is that people might view the exhibition, recognize themselves in the categories of fan creation, and consider some of the things they create for whatever it is they ‘fancy.’”
Outside of her work on the dissertation and at the Haggerty, Rose enjoys spending time with her kids, partner, and pets, following the Marvel Cinematic Universe, writing fanfiction, and visiting local farmer’s markets. Her first fandom was Star Trek, and her favorite superhero is Daredevil.
Fan submissions for “Affirmation/Transformation: Fandom Created” will be accepted and added to the digital display through the exhibition’s closing on Dec. 21. To view the online exhibition or learn more about how to participate, visit fandom.raynordslab.org.
