Expanding the Canvas at Evans Hall
Maria Fernanda Heredia ’26 sits on a Yale SOM committee that commissions original artwork reflecting a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.
It’s easy to assume that business school students focus solely on economic trends or startup plans. But inside SOM, students are a mosaic of experiences, interests, and passions. With nearly 50% international students, SOM is a melting pot of professional experiences where students constantly learn from each other’s wealth of knowledge.
The Artsy Fund, created through the generous support of an anonymous alum, aims to diversify the collection of art on display at Evans Hall. Through acquiring new works, we hope to broaden representation, encourage art-inspired learning, and reflect our community’s lived experience along our walls and corridors.
In 2022, the Artsy Fund Committee started working with Mario Moore, a 2013 graduate of the Yale School of Art, to commission a unique piece for SOM. Black Governors highlights the significance of Black entrepreneurs and leaders during the 18th and 19th centuries. The piece explores how these changemakers contributed to the city by creating the Long Wharf neighborhood, developing other parts of the city, and building churches. The piece also addresses the history of enslaved and free people in Connecticut. This commission took roughly two years to complete and was recently installed on the fourth floor of Evans Hall facing the southwest window.
As part of the installation, the Artsy Fund hosted an art opening to celebrate the painting’s completion. It was a privilege to speak with Mario and learn about the creation of Black Governors and his artistic practice. It is rare when an artist pulls back the curtain to show how much planning, thought, and research go into a painting. At a quick glance, you may only catch the central components of the work, but Mario explains how methodical and intentional he was about the surrounding details. For example, he included a copy of Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave, the first fugitive slave narrative in American history, on the desk in the painting. That subtle sense of purpose is woven into his works as he reshapes our understanding of the world around us through the lens of class, race, gender, and violence. In addition to Black Governors, the Artsy Fund also welcomed new works by Sariah Park and Kim Weston in the fall of 2024.
When I had the opportunity to join the Artsy Fund Committee in 2024, I knew it would be an opportunity to bridge my twin passions for art and business. I didn’t know what to expect when I joined the committee, but I had a wonderful experience. As a first-year MBA, you can easily get caught up in Yale’s many professional and social clubs. This committee prompts me to look up from my laptop and books and think more critically about the construction of our spaces. Who is represented? What stories do we have yet to understand?
As the MBA student on the committee, my central role has been to amplify the work the Artsy Fund has been doing to the rest of the student body. I liaised between my classmates and the committee throughout the school year, helping to plan, execute, and bring awareness to the new works coming into SOM. I look forward to continuing to work alongside the fantastic committee members and learning more about them. They have been instrumental in reimaging our spaces and sourcing amazing art from around the country!
