Take Five: New director with African art focus launches Pulitzer into second decade

International Mon 02-01-2012

Take Five: New director with African art focus launches Pulitzer into second decade
By Nancy Fowler

As an undergraduate studying art history at the University of Wisconsin, African art was hardly on the radar of Kristina Van Dyke, new director of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. But while working on her degree in Western art, she took an African art class to fulfill a requirement.

Progressing through graduate school at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., Van Dyke felt an increasingly strong pull toward African works and their history. By the time she got to Harvard, her goal was to earn a Ph.D. in African art.

"I kept getting distracted by African art and I finally decided to go for it," Van Dyke said.

Expect Van Dyke's specific interest and expertise to influence the Pulitzer as she begins to take the institution into its second decade. Van Dyke talked with the Beacon about what's ahead for the Pulitzer and what she likes about St. Louis.

Read more about Kristina van Dyke here

Contact Beacon staff writer Nancy Fowler. You can also follow her arts alerts on Twitter:@NFBeaconArts.

Posted By: Andrew Njoroge

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