Wangechi Mutu was born in Kenya in 1972 and now lives and works in New York. She is best known for her collages that explore the themes of self-image, gender, race, beauty standards, consumerism, and the historical representation and objectification of the Black female body. In 1996, Mutu received a BFA from Cooper Union, and in 2000, she received her MFA in sculpture from Yale University. Her work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and in 2019, she was the first commissioned artist to create sculptures to be installed in the niches on the Met’s façade.

Artist Statement