Yann Petit

Graduate student at Columbia University, NYC

Education: Associates degree, CPCC(2016)
BA in Art History, UNC Charlotte (2018)
BA in Anthropology, UNC Charlotte (2018)
MA in Art History, Columbia University (2020)
M.Phil in Art History, Columbia University (2022)
Hometown: Sarreguemines, France

Yann Petit’s interest in art history began in his high school in France, when a question on a final exam was a review of political imagery in the 1960s. Soon after that, he moved to the U.S. and applied to UNC School of the Arts for filmmaking. When he was waitlisted, he enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College and took the core requirements with Art History 1 and 2 and Art Appreciation. In these classes he truly fell in love with the subject. 

After getting his associates degree at Central Piedmont, he transferred to UNC Charlotte where art history classes with professors Homann, Frakes, Emerling, and Rajagopalan allowed his love for the subject to grow even more. 

“They did everything for me. Without my mentors at UNC Charlotte, both in the art history and anthropology departments, I would not be able to conduct the field research and studies I am doing today. In the art history program, the patience and support Lisa Homann offered me, the care and attention to detail Jim Frakes taught me, the sophistication of thought Jae Emerling presented, and the diversity and other “eye” that Angela Rajagopalan took the time to carefully describe all contributed to who I am today.” 

Some of his favorite memories at UNC Charlotte were in the chapter meetings for the Society of Art Historians, every Thursday night in Rowe.

“I got to hangout with more people from the department and share what was interesting to us, but also organize events and meetups. It helped us grow out of the department and find extracurricular activities together.” 

Upon graduation from UNC Charlotte, Yann had a year-long internship at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, an opportunity that grew out of the College’s paid internship partnership program with local cultural institutions.

Yann is currently a graduate student at Columbia University in the city of New York, working on his Ph.D. on the arts of Africa with Dr. Zoe S. Strother as his advisor. “I work on the contemporary masquerade practices in Cote d’Ivoire, more precisely in the Dan region, and try to recontextualize these performances after the civil war which divided the country, but to also analyze the social implications these dances can have.” He recently completed a field research year in Cote d’Ivoire, where he furthered his study of contemporary masquerade practices. An image from that field work will be exhibited in the Generations exhibition celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Department of Art & Art History.

His advice to current students: “Get involved, be curious and enjoy the ride!”