Free, White and 21

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In Pindell’s poignant work, Free, White and 21 (1980) the artist uses performance and caricature to narrate her personal experiences of racism. The film alternates between Pindell recounting her stories and a caricature of a young white woman who rebukes Pindell for her ungrateful and paranoid statements. In criticizing the expectations and stereotypes imposed on a female, black artist, Pindell’s work can also been seen as a contribution to a feminist debate. Though Pindell’s body of work mostly consists of painting that explores texture, colour and structures, this video work stands out as being a seminal work in her career. Free, White and 21 can be found in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.