Adrian Piper: Who, Me?

For over five decades, Adrian Piper has distinguished herself as both an artist and analytical philosopher, expanding conceptual art and minimalism as powerful tools for self-exploration and social critique. Her latest exhibition, “Who, Me?”, curated by Liberty Adrien and Carina Bukuts at Portikus, presents two site-specific works addressing the conditions of self-awareness. In “I’m the Tree” (2024), Piper transforms the main gallery into an immersive installation. Visitors ascend to a mezzanine to view a suspended dead tree held by steel wires, mirrored below on the reflective floor. This interplay of architecture, self-image, and reflection encourages contemplation of temporality and presence. Downstairs, “I’m the Screen” (2024) creates a space of layered reflections with mirrored walls, empty chairs, and a podium, prompting visitors to consider their role in shaping collective experiences. Drawing on Kantian ideas, Piper uses these works to probe the nature of self-awareness and our shared reality.