Monday, August 12, 2013

Uffizi Gallery

I am currently an intern at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. A week after my college graduation, I hopped on a plane to Italy to begin my internship. I've been interested in both art and travel from a young age, which eventually led my decision to spend my junior year studying abroad at the University of Bologna. I was directly enrolled at the university, taking all of my classes in Italian and living with Italian students. I became fluent in the language, and have since kept up my skills by taking Italian literature and writing courses upon my return to Wisconsin as a senior. My year in Bologna was such an excellent, formative experience for me that I wanted to come back to Europe as soon as I could.

As an intern in Florence, I've experienced an Italian work environment, one that differs from what I encountered as an intern in New York. Being able to compare and contrast two different cultures of work is a valuable insight. As the art world becomes more globalized, it is crucial to be able to succeed in more than one type of working culture. I know what studying and working in the United States is like, and I know what the Italian's tendencies and expectations are. Having studied and worked abroad has given me a more nuanced understanding of differences in work habits, and enables me to bridge the gap the often forms between two different ways of getting work done. 

Working at the Uffizi, I've learned a great deal about how the museum runs and the bureaucracy involved in getting things done. I attended an opening, press conferences, and other museum events, becoming familiar with how the organization runs. I've also had to opportunity to study its collection and see it up close almost every day. I have loved interacting daily with the works of Titian, Botticelli, Giotto, da Vinci... the list goes on. 

I believe my experiences studying, working, and living in Italy makes me an excellent candidate to work in the art world abroad. In my post below, I give more background on my past experiences that have led me to work at the Uffizi. 

For further question and a copy of my CV, please send me  a message at zecooper@wisc.edu. Thank you for your time and attention.

1 comment:

  1. How were you able to get that internship? I graduate this December and want a internship in Florence Italy but most of them I have to pay for them. I would like to work for a museum like Uffizi but I do not know how.

    ReplyDelete