As the newly appointed director of exhibitions and public programming at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta wants to open exhibitions, programs and events to a much broader audience.  

“We’re trying to democratize the process of art making,” said Kenyatta, who began in his new role on Nov. 18. “We want to showcase how students can explore the power of art and design and engage in conversations around urban change. We want to create a space where creativity is free and open to all, whether you’re a Tyler or Temple student or not.” 

In his new role, Kenyatta will lead Temple Contemporary, the university’s only professional gallery. 

The 3,400 square-foot gallery is located on the first floor of Tyler’s building at 2001 N. 13th St. Since moving to its current location in 2009, Temple Contemporary has hosted a rotating schedule of exhibitions that feature regionally and nationally recognized artists. The space includes the Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery, named for MFA alum Edgar Heap of Birds, TYL ’79, who endowed the space in 2023.  

Kenyatta joins Tyler after serving in a variety of roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design, most recently as the community engagement fellow in city planning and fine arts adjunct lecturer. His work explores what he defines as place, taste and urban change from the perspective of a scholar and a first-generation college graduate. 

“I bring a unique set of experiences in art, history and design, and how they influence the built environment,” he said. “And I think that gives me a unique lens to understanding how culture can bridge institutions and communities.” 

Kenyatta was the first African American to earn a PhD in urban planning from the University of Southern California, and he is the youngest member of the Philadelphia Art Commission. He’s shaped national conversations around diversity and equity in the preservation of cultural heritage sites through a fellowship with the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation. He also holds a master’s in city planning, environmental planning and policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a BA in urban studies from Stanford University. 

Kenyatta’s background in urbanism is rare for his new role. He says that while Tyler is well known for being an art school, its multifaceted design and architecture programming is sometimes underappreciated not only by the public, but even by the Temple community itself. He hopes that Temple Contemporary can help change that. 

“I think my urban planning perspective gives me another lens to lift up the space in corners of the art and architecture world that may not necessarily think of a gallery as the final destination for where their work lives,” he said. “I’m hopeful that my background can play a role in reintroducing the school, in a way, to show how designers can have a home at Tyler as well.” 

On top of expanding the gallery’s visibility at Temple, Kenyatta also wants to build stronger ties between Tyler and the local community, starting with his ambitious “Meet the Director” campaign. The initiative is centered around a 100-day listening tour, in which Kenyatta intends to meet with anyone at Temple or the local community who wants to learn about his plans to lead Temple Contemporary.  

He also wants to learn about the needs of Temple’s neighbors, and he’s hoping the initiative will help him understand how the Temple and North Philadelphia communities can collaborate and inspire each other. 

“My approach is really going to center on finding those unexpected connections between disciplines, but also between communities,” Kenyatta said. “I’m really seeking to understand what Temple Contemporary can do to be a space where multiple forms of expertise are valued, and where art and community knowledge intersect in really meaningful ways.”

Temple Contemporary's last exhibition, Black Like That: Our Lives As Living Praxis, was a multi-site exhibition that explored the nature of the archive as a living praxis within a Black cultural context. The exhibition closed on Dec. 7, but the gallery hosts a consistently rotating schedule of exhibitions featuring renowned artists. (Photography courtesy of Betsy Manning)

Kenyatta is also bringing his expertise to the classroom next spring, where he’ll be teaching a course on placemaking, or the act of instilling the spirit of a place into its built environment. He sees that as another opportunity to engage with the local community. “I think it’s going to be a really fun and creative way to create these student-to-neighbor projects,” he said. “It’s a chance to bring public art and urban planning together in ways that can shape how we think about the role of Temple Contemporary in the broader context.” 

In January, Temple Contemporary will welcome Norman Akers, the first Edgar Heap of Birds artist in residence. His residency runs through the end of May, during which time Akers will focus on his studio practice while interacting with Tyler students and faculty. His work is expected to be on display in the gallery in fall 2025. In late February, Temple Contemporary will begin its MFA thesis exhibitions. The yearly event showcases work from Tyler’s second-year master of fine arts students that spans an impressive range of mediums and processes.  

Until then, Kenyatta is inviting members from the Temple community to schedule time to meet with him and learn more about his vision for leading Temple Contemporary. He will open up his calendar to community members in January. 

“I’m honored and excited to join Temple Contemporary as the director because I really see it as this hidden gem along North Broad Street’s corridor, particularly as someone who is a North Central resident and neighbor,” he said.