Adrian Piper

Adrian Piper is an American Conceptual artist and philosopher. She addresses ostracism, otherness and racism in her work. Adrian received her education at the School of Visual Arts, Harvard University and City College of New York. Adrian Piper became the first African American female philosophy professor to receive an academic tenure. She began a series of street performances in the 70's where she painted her clothes white and wore a sign that read "Wet Paint." She would then go into Macy's department store and shop for gloves and sunglasses. Adrian Piper could also be found riding the bus or subway with a huge white towel stuffed into her mouth or riding the elevator in the Empire State Building covered in a mixture of eggs, milk and cod liver. These Catalysis performances were intended to challenge the order of the social field. In 1973, Adrian Piper began dressing in an afro wig and mustache and would go out in the public as a "third world, working class, overly hostile male." Adrian Piper has received awards for her distinguished body of work and has participated in the central show, "All the World's Futures". (Artist website)