Who, What, Why: Devdyuti Paul

Devdyuti Paul is made for a museum career. Growing up in Queens, New York, Paul would pass by the King Manor Museum every day. In the second grade, Paul says she finally entered through the doors on a field trip. "I think it was my first time walking through such an old house and seeing those creaking hallways and seeing the peeling paint and the old, Constitution-era artworks that were there," she says. "That was a really magical moment for me."

Growing up Paul frequented the Metropolitan Museum of Art, especially the Buddhist section of the Asian Art wing, which she says is very calming and tranquil.

At Penn, the fourth year is a design major minoring in the history of art and consumer psychology. She has interned at the Arthur Ross Galleryand spent last summer working at Pundole's Auction House and JNAF, an art gallery, in Mumbai after receiving encouragement from Sonal Khullar, the W. Norman Brown Associate Professor of South Asian Studies. This summer, Paul worked for the Barnes Foundationin Philadelphia, rotating through the marketing, public relations, and membership departments.

In her day-to-day work at the Barnes Foundation, Paul looked at the data behind engagement rates with member visitors, pitched local journalists, and helped with photo and video shoots. "From the start, I was really drawn to the Barnes' commitment to accessible education and the effort that they put in democratizing fine art. That really aligned with my own interest in marketing and promotions. The core mission really is about advancing arts education.

Paul's personal motivation for arts marketing comes from her exposure to programs as a child. "I'm from New York City, and I come from a pretty working-class background," she says. Paul recalls hours spent in libraries and art museums, taking workshops and free lessons while her parents worked long hours. "Those are some of my core memories growing up in the city," she says, "and they were brought to our attention through dedicated promotional efforts, specifically to these urban students."

People need art, Paul says. "It's life-changing. It's a way for people to feel catharsis; it's a way to put a satisfaction to uncertain pulls or yearnings that I personally feel." Paul says she feels especially connected to historical art, which helps her to imagine the generations of creative people that came before her. "It's really humbling for me when I step into a museum and see works from before my time."

Art, she says, can be "a pathway for people to feel at peace with themselves. And a way for folks to connect with others as well."

Paul's internship was made possible by the Povich RealArts@Penn Internship Prizes. Funded by 1962 Penn alum Maury Povich, the prizes provide a stipend for Penn students chosen for summer internships that would otherwise be unpaid.