Kymberly Pinder ’95 Ph.D., an internationally recognized scholar of race, representation, and murals, has been appointed the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of the Yale School of Art, President Peter Salovey announced in June 2021. Her term began July 1.
Pinder has distinguished herself throughout an academic and curatorial career that has involved a series of major leadership positions. Her scholarly work, which is studied widely in art history curricula across the country, has fostered new avenues of inquiry in her field, and she has demonstrated the importance of community engagement in the arts, Salovey said.
“Professor Pinder is widely known for her deep commitment to teaching, which is rooted in her belief that an education is key to social mobility and to finding solutions to local and national challenges,” he said. “As she encourages students to pursue excellence and nurtures their artistic aspirations, she also teaches them to examine carefully every facet of society… I invite you to join me in congratulating Professor Pinder and in welcoming her back to the Yale community.”
Pinder’s most recent book, “Painting the Gospel: Black Public Art and Religion in Chicago,” explores how Black imagery in the public sphere has empowered communities in that city. The book reflects her consistent collaboration with local artists, including well-known muralists and anonymous graffiti writers, Salovey said. Pinder also edited “Race-ing Art History: Critical Readings in Race and Art History,” a 2002 book that has launched multidisciplinary studies of the role of race in art.
“The Yale School of Art provides an unmatched platform for promoting excellence while effecting positive change,” said Pinder, who earned her Ph.D. in art history from Yale in 1995. “I look forward to working with colleagues and students across the campus, the city, and the globe to extend the boundaries of arts practice and education. Objects and their making unlock and shape dialogues in some of the most transformative ways for both makers and viewers. It is an honor to return to Yale to help nurture its rich culture of rigorous inquiry. I am excited to bring my Yale education full circle.”
Read more about Dr. Pinder’s appointment at this Yale News article.