About Adrian Piper
American · 1948–present · conceptual art, Feminist Art
American[1] conceptual artist and philosopher whose performances and video works examine race, identity, and Kantian subjectivity.
Read full biography →Adrian Piper's works are held in 2 museums worldwide.
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🇺🇸 United States
2 museums
- 6 works
National Gallery of Art
Washington, D.C., United States
Mon–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 11:00–18:00FreeArchives – Navy Memorial (Green & Yellow)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 2 works
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York City, United States
Sun–Tue, Thu 10:00–17:00; Fri–Sat 10:00–21:00; closed WedAdults $30, students $17 (pay-what-you-wish for NY residents)86 St (4, 5, 6)Confirm on museum website before visiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Adrian Piper?
Adrian Piper is an artist who trained in both philosophy and art, and the two disciplines have remained connected in her work. Born in New York in 1948[1], she encountered Conceptualism as a young artist in the late 1960s. She is also a philosopher, with her work *Rationality and the Structure of the Self* remaining in print.What is Adrian Piper known for?
Adrian Piper is known for performance and conceptual art[1] that explores perception, misreading, race, and identity. Her *Catalysis* series used her body as an unannounced art object in public spaces, and the *Mythic Being* series generated a male alter ego to explore perception. Her video installation *Cornered* addresses viewers about her experience as a light-skinned Black woman.What was Adrian Piper's art style?
Adrian Piper's art style includes conceptual and performance art, often incorporating philosophical ideas and explorations of identity. Her early work engaged with Conceptualism and dematerialised practices. She later moved towards explorations of race and identity, using video, performance, and alter egos to challenge perception and categorisation.
Sources
Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Adrian Piper's works across the following collections.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Adrian Piper Used for: biography.
- [2] book Lauren Fournier, Autotheory as Feminist Practice in Art, Writing, and Criticism Used for: biography.
- [3] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
- [4] book Nizan Shaked, The synthetic proposition: Conceptualism and the political referent in contemporary art Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-30. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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