Vibe Nielsen
Postdoctoral Researcher at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen.
Research Fellow at Linacre College, Associate Researcher at the Pitt Rivers Museum and Academic Visitor at the Department of the History of Art, University of Oxford.
Member of the Young Academy at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.
CV
As the Principal Investigator of the research project Passion or Politics? The Art Collection of Carl Jacobsen in a Socio-Economic and Cultural Political Context 1878-1914 funded by the Ny Carlsberg Foundation, Vibe Nielsen examines the international influences that motivated the establishment of the collections of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: Which cultural political agendas are reflected in the collection and exhibition practices of Carl Jacobsen and how were the artworks he collected used – and exhibited – as tools to educate the public? As part of her research project, Vibe Nielsen holds a Research Fellowship at Linacre College, University of Oxford, where she is also affiliated with the Pitt Rivers Museum as Associate Researcher and the Department of the History of Art as Academic Visitor.
2021-2024: Postdoctoral Researcher at the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford
As the Principal Investigator of the research project Decolonising Museums: Changing Curatorial Practices at the Pitt Rivers and Quai Branly funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, Vibe Nielsen examined the links between museums and activism and explored how recent calls for decolonisation impact museum practices in the leading ethnographic museums of the two most dominant former colonial powers in Europe, the United Kingdom and France. The main focus of the research project was the changing curatorial practices at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford and le Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, where debates about decolonisation and repatriation have been central in recent years. As part of her research project, Vibe Nielsen held a Junior Research Fellowship at Linacre College, University of Oxford.
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen
In the research project Global Europe: Constituting Europe from the outside in through artefacts funded by the Danish Research Council, Vibe Nielsen worked on issues related to the curatorial challenges in the exhibition of art from South Africa that she had explored as part of her doctoral fieldwork in South Africa (2016-2018). This work led to the publication of several journal articles, as well as a book chapter in the project anthology Global Art in Local Art Worlds: Changing Hierarchies of Value that she co-edited with Oscar Salemink, Amélia Siegel Corrêa and Jens Sejrup and published with Routledge in 2023.
2016-2019: PhD Fellow at the Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen
In the research project Global Europe: Constituting Europe from the outside in through artefacts funded by the Danish Research Council, Vibe Nielsen explored how demands for recognition are influencing debates about curation and decolonisation in contemporary South Africa, where a wish to be recognised on the international art scene is constantly present in museum settings, art fairs and exhibitions. Vibe Nielsen completed her PhD in Anthropology with a thesis entitled Demanding Recognition: Curatorial Challenges in the Exhibition of Art from South Africa (2019) supervised by Prof. Oscar Salemink and Prof. Bjarke Oxlund.
2015-2016: Curator of Public Programmes at the National Museum of Denmark
After having worked as a part-time Educator and Tour Guide in the exhibitions Stories of Denmark 1660-2000 and Mennesker i Krigen 1864 in Prinsens Palæ, as well as in the Brede Works Museum, the Open Air Museum and Fyrskib XVII Gedser Rev, during her studies at the University of Copenhagen, Vibe Nielsen was employed as Curator of Public Programmes at the National Museum of Denmark. Here, she developed teaching material and guided tours in relation to the temporary exhibition The White Busses as well as the Middle Ages and Renaissance galleries and the ethnographic collections.
With Global Summer School on 'Indigenous Peoples and Development' at the Australian National University through the International Alliance of Research Universities (2013) and Internship at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris (2014), as well as part-time job as Educator and Tour Guide at the Post and Tele Museum (2011-2013) and the National Museum of Denmark (2009-2015). Vibe Nielsen completed her MA in Modern Culture with a thesis entitled Museale Formidlinger af Fortiden som Kolonimagt: En komparativ analyse af, hvordan danske og britiske museer formidler den internationale kolonihandel og dens nutidige konsekvenser (2015) supervised by Associate Prof. Anne Ring Petersen.
2011-2012: MA in Museum Studies at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London
With Internship at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2012) and part-time job at the Casa Brazil exhibition at Somerset House (2012). Vibe Nielsen completed her MA in Museum Studies with a thesis entitled Dealing with a Difficult Past: British Disseminations of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (2012) supervised by Prof. Paul Basu.
2007-2010: BA in European Ethnology at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen
With part-time job as Educator and Tour Guide at Roskilde Museum (2008-2009) and the National Museum of Denmark (2009-2015). Vibe Nielsen completed her BA in European Ethnology with a thesis entitled Fattigdom – Naturens Orden eller en Vej til Revolution? (2010) supervised by Associate Prof. Anne Leonora Blaakilde.
Fellowships and Awards
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2026-29
Research Fellow at Linacre College, University of Oxford
After three years as Junior Research Fellow at Linacre College, University of Oxford (2021-24), and two years as a Research Fellow (2024-26), Vibe Nielsen was awarded a three-year extension of her Research Fellowship to be able to continue her significant
contributions to the academic life of the college community.
2025-30
Member of the Young Academy at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
The Young Academy is a scientific academy for young researchers in Denmark under the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters established in 1742. The purpose of the Academy is to strengthen basic research and interdisiplinary exchange, to bridge the gap between science and society, and to offer some of the country’s most talented young researchers a public voice.
2024-26
Research Fellow at Linacre College, University of Oxford
After three years as Junior Research Fellow at Linacre College, University of Oxford (2021-24), Vibe Nielsen was awarded a two-year Research Fellowship to be able to continue her significant
contributions to the academic life of the college community.
2025
Cayx-Legatet
Awarded by Dronning Margrethe and Prins Henriks Fond through the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters in support of a month-long research stay at Musée Rodin Meudon in Paris, as part of the Passion or Politics research project on the art collecting practices of Carl Jacobsen around the turn of the century.
2024
Dr. Phil. Ragna Rask-Nielsens Grundforskningsfond
Awarded by the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters in support of an Academic Visit to the Department of the History of Art at the University of Oxford, as part of the Passion or Politics research project on the art collecting practices of Carl Jacobsen around the turn of the century.
2024-27
Ny Carlsbergfondet
In support of the postdoctoral research project Passion eller Politik - Carl Jacobsens Kunstsamling i en socioøkonomisk og kulturpolitisk kontekst 1878-1914 hosted by the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies at the University of Copenhagen.
2024
Leeds Hoban Linacre / Huntington Exchange Fellowship
Awarded by Linacre College, University of Oxford, in support of a month-long research stay focusing on 'Public Presentations of Plants – Communicating Collection Histories at the Huntington Botanical Gardens'.
2023
Junior Research Fellow Grant
Awarded by Linacre College, University of Oxford, in support of a month-long research stay at Statens Legatbolig in Paris, to conduct fieldwork at Musée du Quai Branly.
2023
Ludvig Preetzmann-Aggerholm og Hustrus Stiftelse
Awarded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in support of a month-long research stay in Statens Legatbolig in Paris, to conduct fieldwork at Musée du Quai Branly.
2023
Reid Music Prize
Awarded by Linacre College, University of Oxford, in appreciation of the contribution of Vibe Nielsen to the music community at Linacre College.
2022
Dronning Ingrids Romerske Fond / Accademia di Danimarca
In support of a month-long research stay at the Danish Academy in Rome, to conduct fieldwork at Museo Delle Civiltà.
2022
San Cataldo Foundation
In support of two-week research stay at the San Cataldo Monastery on the Amalfi Coast.
2021-24
Junior Research Fellowship at Linacre College, University of Oxford
As part of the postdoctoral research project Decolonising Museums – Changing Curatorial Practices at the Pitt Rivers and Quai Branly supported by the Carlsberg Foundation and hosted by the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, Vibe Nielsen was awarded a three-year Junior Research Fellowship at Linacre College.
2021-24
Carlsberg Foundation
In support of the postdoctoral research project Decolonising Museums – Changing Curatorial Practices at the Pitt Rivers and Quai Branly hosted by the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
2021
Dronning Ingrids Romerske Fond / Accademia di Danimarca
In support of a two-month research stay at the Danish Academy in Rome, to conduct fieldwork at Museo Delle Civiltà.
2018
Augustinus Foundation
In support of a two-month research stay at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, during her PhD in Anthropology.
2016-2020
Danish Research Council
In support of a three-year PhD Fellowship and one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship within the Sapere Aude research project Global Europe: Constituting Europe from the outside in through artefacts at the Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen.
2015
Solar Foundation
In support of fieldwork conducted in Danish and British museums for the MA thesis Museale Formidlinger af Fortiden som Kolonimagt: En komparativ analyse af, hvordan danske og britiske museer formidler den internationale kolonihandel og dens nutidige konsekvenser.
2015
Travel Grant
Awarded by the Danish Association of MAs and PhDs in support of fieldwork conducted for the MA thesis Museale Formidlinger af Fortiden som Kolonimagt: En komparativ analyse af, hvordan danske og britiske museer formidler den internationale kolonihandel og dens nutidige konsekvenser.
2013
IARU-Santander Scholarship
The IARU Santander Scholarship enabled Vibe Nielsen to attend in the International Alliance of Research Universities Global Summer Programme at the Australian National University, as part of her MA in Modern Culture at the University of Copenhagen. The three-week interdisciplinary course on 'Indigenous Peoples and Development' brought her from the Canberra campus to field sites in Broome and the ANU Pacific Campus in New South Wales.
2011-12
Knud Højgaards Foundation
With support from Knud Højgaards Foundation, Vibe Nielsen studied a MA in Museum Studies at the University College London' Institute of Archeology.
2011-12
Oticon Foundation
With support from the Oticon Foundation, Vibe Nielsen studied a MA in Museum Studies at the University College London' Institute of Archeology.