Self Portrait as a Nice White Lady 1995

Adrian Piper's "Self Portrait as a Nice White Lady" (1995) is a self-portrait that explores the complexities of racial identity. The artwork, in the form of a mixed media piece, juxtaposes a black and white photograph of the artist with a red background and a speech bubble. The speech bubble is written in a caricature of black slang, reading "Whut choo lookin at mofo," and speaks to the artist’s experience with racism and the ways in which it manifests in daily life. Piper uses her artwork to critique the ways in which race and gender are constructed and reinforced through stereotypes.