Self-Portraits

It's taken me quite a while to post something to this blog, but here, finally, is my first post, in honor of my birthday: some drawings inspired by one of my favorite artists, Adrian M. S. Piper, who throughout her long, rich and amazing career has repeatedly explored the intersections of philosophy, conceptualism, race, gender, and class.  In 1981, as part of a series of works relating her readings of the concept of the "indexical present" to racism and racial stereotyping, she created the drawing "Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Negroid Features" (at right, 1981 (pencil on paper, 20.3 x 25.4 cm). Collection of Eileen Harris Norton, from Wikipedia.com).

In femmage to Piper, here's my own playful take on self-portraiture, occasioned by my birthday (all images 2010, digital drawings on iPhone, Collectcion of the artist, copyright © John Keene, 2010. All rights reserved).


Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Roman Catholic Upbringing

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Working-Class Roots

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Ivy League Education

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My "Alternate Lifestyle" and "Sexual Preference"

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Past and Current Employment Status

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Irish Ancestry

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Sero and Domestic Status

Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Cosmopolitan Affinities