Derrick Adams’ Style Variation 1 (Pixie) (2022) is a quietly commanding portrait that merges abstraction, geometry, and cultural symbolism into a reflection on identity, beauty, and self-presentation. The work depicts a stylized bust of a woman with a sleek asymmetrical haircut—an elegant “pixie” style rendered with Adams’ signature cubist construction of overlapping planes and rich tonal gradations. Set against a pristine white background, the figure’s composed gaze and sculptural form radiate both individuality and universality, celebrating the expressive power of Black aesthetics and the artistry of self-fashioning.

The piece belongs to Adams’ celebrated “Style Variations” series, in which he explores the relationship between portraiture, fashion, and self-expression through the language of design. Each work in the series features a mannequin-like bust, reimagined as a living monument to beauty culture—an homage to the creativity found in barbershops, beauty salons, and Black hair artistry. In Style Variation 1 (Pixie), Adams transforms what might be seen as a simple hairstyle into a symbol of autonomy, confidence, and care.

The faceted construction of the face—composed of interlocking shades of brown, rose, plum, and black—recalls both Cubism and African sculpture, traditions that Adams fuses into a distinctly contemporary idiom. His geometric precision, influenced by artists like Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence, evokes a rhythm that feels both architectural and human. Yet Adams’ figures are never cold or distant; they emanate warmth, dignity, and personality through color and form. The careful articulation of planes suggests that identity itself is layered, multifaceted, and continuously constructed.

The asymmetrical black hairstyle, draped elegantly across one side of the face, is central to the composition’s power. It references the “pixie cut,” a style synonymous with sophistication and bold individuality. Here, it becomes more than a fashion statement—it’s a sculptural declaration of self. The subject’s long lashes and subtly pink lips add nuance and glamour, reinforcing Adams’ belief that adornment can be an act of pride, not vanity.

Adams’ use of a stark white background isolates the figure, emphasizing her form as both artwork and icon. The image reads as a cross between a classical bust and a salon mannequin head, blurring the line between art object and cultural artifact. By elevating a subject often associated with commercial display, Adams asserts that beauty and Blackness deserve the same reverence afforded to fine art traditions.

Throughout his practice, Derrick Adams has sought to reclaim images of Black life from the margins of representation, focusing instead on joy, leisure, and self-definition. In contrast to narratives of struggle or spectacle, works like Style Variation 1 (Pixie) highlight the artistry inherent in everyday self-styling and the cultural ecosystems that sustain it.

Ultimately, Style Variation 1 (Pixie) is an ode to the creativity and confidence embedded in personal presentation. It honors the act of choosing how to be seen and insists that beauty—particularly Black beauty—is both deeply personal and profoundly political. With clarity, precision, and affection, Derrick Adams transforms a hairstyle into a symbol of identity, resilience, and radiant self-possession.

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