After flicking through her mother’s book on tropical diseases, Wangechi Mutu began using grotesque textures in her work, finding the life force of infections “visually interesting.” She took the idea into her practice, focusing on physical imperfection and the female, and protesting misrepresentations of Black women. Mutu was born in Kenya in 1972, but came to New York in her 20s, where she has lived ever since. She’s evolved from collage to painting, and has also moved to drawing, sculpture, and film. Mutu creates hybrid narratives that feel folklorish. “Art allows you to imbue the truth with a sort of magic,” she has said, “so it can infiltrate the psyches of more people, including those who don’t believe the same things as you.” This retrospective covers the breadth of Mutu’s career. —Elena Clavarino