Jefferson Pinder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jefferson Pinder
Born	December 1970 Washington, D.C., United States
Alma mater	University of Maryland
Awards	USA Fellowship 2016 Theater & Performance – USA Joyce Fellow Guggenheim Fellowship 2017 Fine Arts – John S. Guggenheim Fellow Moving Image Acquisition Award 2016

Jefferson Pinder, born in 1970 in Washington, D.C., is an amazing African-American artist. He creates art that makes people think deeply about important ideas like race and facing challenges. His work often uses performances, videos, and interesting objects to tell powerful stories.

What is Jefferson Pinder's Art About?

Jefferson Pinder mainly works with neon lights, found objects (everyday items he finds and uses in his art), and video. Through these, he explores what makes us who we are. He often creates dynamic situations that show how our bodies and feelings react.

His art includes unique video portraits set to popular music. He also creates long-lasting performances that show the black body in motion. His work helps us understand how physical actions can reveal deep emotions.

Pinder's art has been shown in many famous places. These include The Studio Museum in Harlem and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. He has also exhibited at the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art in Hartford.

In 2016, he won a special award called the United States Artist's Joyce Fellowship. The next year, in 2017, he became a John S. Guggenheim Fellow. These awards recognize his important work in performance and fine arts.

Currently, Jefferson Pinder teaches art (sculpture) at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also the Dean of Faculty there, which means he helps lead the teaching staff.

Jefferson Pinder's Journey as an Artist

Pinder first became widely known after an exhibition called "Frequency" at The Studio Museum in Harlem in 2006. Since then, his art has been shown in many galleries and museums both in the United States and around the world.

His work has been featured in places like the High Museum and the Birmingham Museum of Art. It has also been seen at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft and the Zacheta National Gallery in Warsaw, Poland.

In 2016, Pinder's art was part of the Shanghai Biennale, a big international art event. His work was also shown at the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

You can find Pinder's art in many public collections. These include the Yale University Art Gallery, the Studio Museum of Harlem, and the High Museum of Art. His pieces are also part of the David C. Driskell Collection.

From 2003 to 2011, Pinder taught at the University of Maryland. He was an assistant professor focusing on art theory and performance. In 2011, he moved to Chicago and became a professor of sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2019, he became the Dean of Faculty there.

Pinder has also given talks at many universities and art colleges. These include the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Corcoran College of Art and Design. He has even lectured in Khartoum, Sudan.

In 2021, Pinder's video performance series, "Selections from the Inertia Cycle," was shown at Western Carolina University. Also in 2021, he received a Smithsonian Fellowship. This allowed him to explore old films and materials about the daily lives of Black Americans at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Jefferson Pinder's Education

Jefferson Pinder studied at the University of Maryland. He earned his first degree (a Bachelor of Arts) in theatre in 1993. Later, in 2003, he received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Mixed Media from the same university. He also studied at the Asolo Theatre Conservatory in Sarasota, Florida.