Turned-scholar honoured
collaborated on projects led by the university’s Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG).
At Friday’s ceremony, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters for his contribution to the museums sector.
Born in Croydon, David lived in
Guyana, his mother’s home country, for nine years before returning to the UK to study performing arts at Middlesex Polytechnic.
In 2009, he took on a new role as a performance consultant on the spatial performance and design programme at the Architectural Association’s Interprofessional Studio. Seeking to explore this area in more depth, he returned to higher education, graduating from Birkbeck College in 2016 with a degree in the history of Western art and architecture.
Soon afterwards came his first collaboration with RCMG, which is hosted by the university’s School of Museum Studies.
David’s performance girl.boy. child, exploring LGBTQ stories in historic houses, was part of the National Trust’s acclaimed Prejudice and Pride project.
More recently, David collaborated again with the RCMG on a short film entitled Permissible Beauty. Funded by Arts Council England and developed in close collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, the National Trust and English Heritage, this film and its accompanying exhibition were launched at Hampton Court Palace in January 2023. Permissible Beauty was inspired by the Windsor Beauties, 10 portraits of women at the court of Charles II which have been exhibited at Hampton Court since the 19th century.
These representations of beauty were contrasted with seven new portraits of black British queer creative talents by leading photographer Roger Taylor. David is now developing a project around 18th-century French artist Jacques-Louis David, while his most recent musical project was a Guardalso ian, Mojo and Scotsman album of 2023, Happy Ending, with Hifi Sean.
Professor Richard Sandell, codirector of RCMG, said: “We are all thrilled that David’s highly significant scholarly and creative contributions to the work of the research centre and to the wider field of culture is being recognised in this way.
“David’s work continues to be transformative in shaping bold, original and impactful approaches to advancing inclusive and ethical storytelling and challenging audiences to look afresh at British heritage.”
President and vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, said of Professor Browne’s honour: “Professor Browne’s calm and steady stewardship during the pandemic was a textbook lesson in confident leadership when under pressure.
“The city owes him a debt of gratitude for his work during such difficult times.
“I am delighted we are able to honour Professor Browne, and in doing so, fulfilling his father’s wishes for his son to graduate from the University of Leicester.”
The city owes Prof Browne a debt of gratitude for his work during such difficult times Vice-chancellor