Member Spotlight: Dexter E. King

Erin Scheckenbach, manager of individual giving, recently spoke with Dexter E. King, a member of the Princeton University Art Museum since 2019, to learn more about his interests and his relationship with the Museum.

ES: To start, why did you become a member of the Princeton University Art Museum?

DK: I became a member because I believe in the institution and wanted to be a part of the support effort. Members are important to the Museum because they help sustain longevity.

ES: What do you do for work currently? Would you mind sharing a bit about your professional journey?

DK: I currently work in information technology as an infrastructure engineer senior advisor for a Fortune 500–managed healthcare insurance company. After graduating from a performing arts school, my intention was to further my studies in art and illustration; however, my focus turned to computers once I received my degree in computer information

systems. Since then, I’ve worked in many industries throughout my career doing system design/architecture and operational support.

ES: How has being a member of the Museum impacted you?

DK: Being a member has impacted my personal growth in a number of ways, specifically as it relates to community involvement, shared life experiences, diversity, and culture.

ES: What’s one thing that people should know about the Museum?

DK: I wish people knew that there is something for everyone. It’s not just historical paintings and artifacts that line the gallery walls; there’s volunteerism, travel, online classes, lectures, and more.

ES: Do you have a favorite artist, medium, or period of art? 

DK: Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Basquiat, Kerry James Marshall, Antonio Lopez, and Kehinde Wiley are all at the top of my list, as well as many artists who came out of the Harlem Renaissance. I favor mediums like oils, watercolor, charcoal,

collage, and photography, and I’m particularly interested in the Baroque and Early Renaissance periods.

ES: If you could change your career, what path would you have chosen?

DK: If I wasn’t in tech I would probably be working in some area within the arts. I also have a degree in art history with a minor in museum studies.

ES: What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?

DK: Not so much a fun fact, but I’m a NY Jets football fan. Some people may find this funny due to the number of losses the team has experienced over the years.

ES: We were thrilled to include you on a perimeter tour this past December! What was the most memorable part of the tour for you?

DK: I ended up getting lost on campus right before the tour!

Aside from that, what I most enjoyed was the information provided about the architect David Adjaye and his team, along with the building materials used for the Museum structure. I was familiar with the firm’s design work from the Studio Museum in Harlem as well as the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, so I was excited to hear that Adjaye Associates was involved with this project. I’m looking forward to the opening.

ES: Is there a particular work of art from our collections that you’re most excited to see at the Museum again?

DK: I’m most excited to see the European and African art collections.