Photo Credit: Young Min Hoon

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The leading Chicago-based artist Jefferson Pinder has just concluded a highly successful week-long residency at UMass Amherst with a unique multidisciplinary focus, thanks to the support of the Class of 1961 Artists Residency Program, in collaboration with the University Museum of Contemporary Art.

Pinder is an interdisciplinary artist working in between theater, music and art. His art embodies a diverse cultural perspective in the form of mixing his own experience and African American identity with that of others. His work appears in the exhibition Du Bois in Our Time, on view at the University Museum of Contemporary Art through December 8, 2013.
UMass students were provided with direct access to this prominent artist who offered a teaching and mentorship role through one-on-one critique sessions with MFA students in Studio Art; interaction with a Performance Workshop class; and participation in seminar discussions integrating the arts and humanities.

In all respects, this week-long residency met the Class of 1961 Artists Residency Program's mission to enliven the cultural life of the campus, to enhance and supplement educational opportunities, and to bring artists together with a wide spectrum of people -- students, faculty, and community members, for the purpose of learning in, through and about the contemporary visual arts.

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In addition to giving a public lecture “Making Art and Making History,” Jefferson Pinder’s residency included his participation in the following seminars and classroom discussions:

“Lineages of the Experimental: Fluxus Forward” -- taught by Susan Jahoda, Art Department

“Graduate Seminar” – led by Young Min Moon, Art Department

“Race and the Contemporary Arts” – taught by Tanya Fernando, English Department

“History 394: Ideas that Changed History: Du Bois in Our Time” (an Integrative Experience seminar for history majors) – taught by David Glassberg, History Department

“Introduction to Public History” – taught by Sam Redman, History Department

“TH393R, Du Bois Performance Workshop” – taught by Gilbert MacCauley, Theater Department
 

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The success of this Residency was capped off by the artist’s generous donation of two of his seminal video works to the University Museum of Contemporary Art’s permanent collection:

Star of Ethiopia (2013), featured in the current exhibition Du Bois in Our Time; and Invisible Man (2007). In addition, Jefferson Pinder is offering Star of Ethiopia for sale, with proceeds going to sustain the Class of 1961 Artists Residency Program.


Photo Credit: Young Min Hoon