Biography
Born in Philadelphia in 1943, Howardena Pindell studied painting at Boston University and Yale University. After graduating, she accepted a job at the Museum of Modern Art, where she worked for 12 years (1967–1979), first as Exhibition Assistant, then as Assistant Curator in the Department of National and International Traveling Exhibitions, and finally as an Associate Curator and Acting Director in the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books. In 1979, she began teaching at the State University of New York, Stony Brook where she is now a Distinguished Professor. Throughout her career, Pindell has exhibited extensively. Notable solo-exhibitions include: Spelman College (1971, Atlanta), A.I.R. Gallery (1973, 1983, New York), Just Above Midtown (1977, New York), Lerner-Heller Gallery (1980, 1981, New York), The Studio Museum in Harlem (1986, New York), the Wadsworth Atheneum (1989, Hartford), Cyrus Gallery (1989, New York), G.R. N’Namdi Gallery (1992, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, Chicago, Detroit, and New York), Garth Greenan Gallery, New York (2014, 2017, 2019), Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta (2015) and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2018).
Pindell often employs lengthy, metaphorical processes of destruction/reconstruction. She cuts canvases in strips and sews them back together, building up surfaces in elaborate stages. She paints or draws on sheets of paper, punches out dots from the paper using a paper hole punch, drops the dots onto her canvas, and finally squeegees paint through the “stencil” left in the paper from which she had punched the dots. Almost invariably, her paintings are installed unstretched, held to the wall merely by the strength of a few finishing nails. The artist’s fascination with gridded, serialized imagery, along with surface texture appears throughout her oeuvre. Even in her later, more politically charged work, Pindell reverts to these thematic focuses in order to address social issues of homelessness, AIDs, war, genocide, sexism, xenophobia, and apartheid.
Howardena Pindell’s work has been featured in many landmark museum exhibitions, such as: Contemporary Black Artists in America (1971, Whitney Museum of American Art), Rooms (1976, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center), Another Generation (1979, The Studio Museum in Harlem), Afro-American Abstraction (1980, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center), The Decade Show: Frameworks of Identity in the 1980s (1990, New Museum of Contemporary Art), and Bearing Witness: Contemporary Works by African-American Women Artists (1996, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta).
Most recently, Pindell’s work appeared in: Energy/Experimentation: Black Artists and Abstraction, 1964–1980 (2006, The Studio Museum in Harlem), High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting, 1967–1975 (2006, Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina, Greensboro), WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution (2007, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles), Target Practice: Painting Under Attack, 1949–1978 (2009, Seattle Art Museum), Black in the Abstract: Part I, Epistrophy (2013, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston), and Painting 2.0: Expression in the Information Age, (2015–2016, Museum Brandhorst; 2016, Museum Moderner Kunst) and We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–1985 (2017, the Brooklyn Museum, New York). Howardena Pindell was the subject of the 2018 retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago titled Howardena Pindell: What Remains to Be Seen, which traveled to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (2018) and the Rose Art Museum (2019). In 2020, she was the subject of the solo exhibition Howardena Pindell: Rope/Fire/Water at The Shed, New York. Pindell’s first major one-person exhibition in Europe, Howardena Pindell: A New Language, opened at the Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, in 2021, and traveled to Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, in 2022.
Pindell’s work is in the permanent collections of major museums internationally, including: the Brooklyn Museum; the Corcoran Gallery of Art; the Fogg Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Museum of Modern Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Studio Museum in Harlem; the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.; the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Whitney Museum of American Art; and the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven.
Exhibitions
Press
April 16, 2026
Howardena Pindell Honored with 2026 Art Basel Icon Artist Award
December 16, 2024
Howardena Pindell Featured in ARTNews
November 16, 2024
Howardena Pindell: Inner Space Reviewed in Observer
December 19, 2023
Al Loving, Howardena Pindell, and Richard Van Buren reviewed in The Brooklyn Rail
April 20, 2023
Melissa Cody and Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times Style Magazine
April 1, 2023
Al Loving and Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Artforum
March 8, 2023
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The New York Times
March 7, 2023
Howardena Pindell Interviewed in AnOther
February 8, 2023
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Hyperallergic
December 21, 2022
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artnet News
December 7, 2022
Rosalyn Drexler, Cannupa Hanska Luger, and Howardena Pindell Featured in NYT‘s Best Art of 2022
July 10, 2022
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Observer
July 8, 2022
Howardena Pindell Featured in Wallpaper*
July 1, 2022
Howardena Pindell Interviewed in The Art Newspaper
July 1, 2022
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The Guardian
June 29, 2022
Howardena Pindell Interviewed in The New Statesman
March 15, 2022
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Nation
November 26, 2021
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The Skinny
March 1, 2021
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Forbes
February 12, 2021
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times
February 11, 2021
Howardena Pindell Interviewed in The Believer
November 30, 2020
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The Art Newspaper
October 16, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured in TIME
October 6, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Art Newspaper
March 10, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured on Art Daily
March 8, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times
March 7, 2020
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The Philadelphia Inquirer
February 26, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured on Culture Type
February 26, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artnews
February 11, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Art Newspaper
February 5, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artsy
January 1, 2020
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artforum
December 9, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Hyperallergic
December 7, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Art Newspaper
December 6, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Brooklyn Rail
December 4, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Boston Globe
December 3, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Wall Street Journal
December 2, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Chicago Tribune
November 26, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Stony Brook University News
November 25, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Chicago Tribune
November 19, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Hyperallergic
November 18, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in ARTFIXdaily
November 5, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New Yorker
November 4, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Los Angeles Times
October 17, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Cultured Magazine
September 25, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Frieze
August 5, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Surface Mag
July 31, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times
July 21, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Culture Type
July 15, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Brooklyn Rail
July 11, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Bad at Sports
June 20, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The ARTery
June 14, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Apollo
June 14, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Harper’s Bazaar
June 7, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Art Newspaper
May 22, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Stony Brook University News
April 19, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artforum
March 15, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Independent
February 25, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artsy
February 21, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Bay State Banner
February 12, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Justice
February 5, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Justice
January 31, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The ARTery
January 30, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in The ARTery
January 30, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Wicked Local
January 25, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Blouin Art Info
January 18, 2019
Howardena Pindell Featured in Culture Type
December 18, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in BrandeisNOW
December 18, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artsy
December 14, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Hyperallergic
December 14, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Nation
December 10, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artfix Daily
December 7, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Broadway World
December 6, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Culture Type
November 26, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Yale News
November 5, 2018
Howardena Pindell in The Brown Daily Herald
October 29, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in NAD NOW
October 10, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Stony Brook University News
October 5, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Blouin Art Info
October 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Community Idea Stations
October 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Go London
October 3, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Brooklyn Rail
September 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Art Agency Partners
September 26, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured on LookSEE
September 24, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in the University of Delaware Review
September 9, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Richmond Times-Dispatch
September 6, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Fredericksburg
September 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Culture Type
August 30, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Cornell News
August 30, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Hyperallergic
August 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Whitney Stories
August 26, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in New York City Fun
August 24, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Williamsburg Yorktown Daily
August 23, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Richmond Free Press
August 22, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times
August 22, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Richmond
August 12, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Richmond Magazine
July 11, 2018
Howardena Pindell Feature in The Village Voice
June 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Frieze
June 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Vogue
June 26, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in AJC
June 20, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times Style Magazine
June 16, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in West of the Boulevard
June 16, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Daily Press
June 1, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Travel+Leisure
May 31, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Chicago Tribune
May 15, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Bomb Magazine
May 14, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Bomb Magazine
May 9, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Document Journal
May 3, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The St. Pete Catalyst
May 1, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Rebellious Magazine
April 25, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Chicago Tribune
April 15, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Guardian
April 11, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Washington Post
April 10, 2018
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Frieze
April 5, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Design Art Daily
April 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artdaily
April 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in TimeOut Chicago
April 4, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Brooklyn Rail
March 8, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artnet
March 1, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Chicago Maroon
March 1, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Newcity Art
February 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Chicago Theater and Arts
February 27, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Smithsonian Magazine
February 24, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Art Daily
February 24, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Widewalls
February 23, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in USA Art News
February 22, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Art Newspaper
February 18, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Modern Luxury
February 1, 2018
Howardena Pindell Featured in Artforum
January 30, 2018
Gladys Nilsson and Howardena Pindell Featured in Wall Street Journal
January 3, 2018
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Los Angeles Times
December 29, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New Yorker
December 13, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Art News
December 13, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Brooklyn Rail
December 13, 2017
Howardena Pindell: Recent Paintings Review in The Brooklyn Rail
December 11, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Culture Type
December 5, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Frieze
December 1, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in Art News
November 25, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Hyperallergic
November 22, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Wall Street International
November 20, 2017
Howardena Pindell: Recent Paintings Review in The New Yorker
November 2, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Art News
November 1, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in the Washington Post
October 23, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Art News
October 22, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Hyperallergic
September 21, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artnet
September 16, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in a Panel at the Brooklyn Museum
September 15, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on WNYC
September 15, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in The New York Times
September 14, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on WWD
September 14, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in a Panel at Expo Chicago
September 8, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New York Times
September 3, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New York Times
August 22, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed on Hyperallergic
August 22, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Hyperallergic
August 15, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in the Atlanta Black Star
August 7, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Hyperallergic
August 1, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on The Huffington Post
July 31, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on A Piece of Work Podcast
July 16, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
June 19, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in the New Yorker
June 3, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Culture Type
May 26, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Hyperallergic
April 28, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Financial Times
April 24, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Time Magazine
April 21, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New York Times
April 21, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in a Panel at the Brooklyn Museum
April 10, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in the New Yorker
March 27, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Bowdoin News
March 17, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artlyst
March 3, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed on Hyperallergic
March 3, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in The Art Newspaper
March 2, 2017
Howardena Pindell Reviewed on Art News
January 18, 2017
Howardena Pindell Featured in The Nation
December 13, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Knight Foundation
December 7, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New York Times
December 5, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in Miami Clasica
December 3, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in the New York Times
December 1, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Wall Street Journal
December 1, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in Hamptons Art Hub
September 20, 2016
Howardena Pindell on the Pelican Bomb
July 17, 2016
Skins: Body as Matter and Process Reviewed on Artlyst
July 1, 2016
Skins: Body as Matter and Process Featured on Artspace
June 15, 2016
Garth Greenan Gallery Announces Relocation
May 12, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured in Woman’s Art Journal
April 2, 2016
Howardena Pindell Featured on The Creators Project
December 16, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artsy
December 2, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured in the International New York Times
December 1, 2015
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Frieze
December 1, 2015
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in Artforum
November 25, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured on JustLuxe
October 17, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured in Marks Made at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida
October 12, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured on Artsy
October 12, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured on TBN Weekly
October 11, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured on Culture Type
October 11, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured in Greater New York, 2015 at MoMA PS1
September 11, 2015
Howardena Pindell at Honor Fraser Gallery
August 25, 2015
Howardena Pindell at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
August 24, 2015
Howardena Pindell Reviewed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 15, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured in the Film Society of Lincoln Center Video Program
February 11, 2015
Ralph Humphrey, Al Loving, and Howardena Pindell Featured in Spring Exhibitions at the Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University
January 10, 2015
Howardena Pindell Featured in Represent: 200 Years of African American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
November 1, 2014
Howardena Pindell Featured in Art in America
June 5, 2014
Howardena Pindell: Paintings, 1974-1980 Reviewed in The Brooklyn Rail
May 11, 2014
Howardena Pindell: Paintings, 1974-1980 Reviewed on Hyperallergic
April 29, 2014
Howardena Pindell: Paintings, 1974-1980 Reviewed in The New Yorker
January 5, 2007
Howardena Pindell Featured in The HistoryMakers
