© Carrie Mae Weems
The Shape of Things, 1996
Carrie Mae Weems; Printer: Renaissance Press, Ashuelot, New Hampshire; Publisher: Beta Press, Seattle, Wash.expand_more
Photogravure on paperexpand_more
Gift of funds from the Print and Drawing Councilexpand_more P.98.8
Not on Viewexpand_more
Carrie Mae Weems visited the African continent for the first time in 1993, where she photographed the architecture of an ancient urban center, Djenné, in Mali. Identifying masculine or feminine qualities in certain spaces of the city, she photographed towers, portals, and halls to illuminate visual parallels with human bodies. This series of photographs celebrates not only the sensual qualities of the built environment in Djenné, but the human narrative running throughout its history and survival. As a Black American woman, Weems traveled with a commitment to grappling with the histories of the transatlantic slave trade, and sought their echoes across the Western African nations of Ghana, Senegal, and Mali.
Details
- Title
- The Shape of Things
- Artist Life
- Carrie Mae Weems, born 1953; Renaissance Press, Ashuelot, New Hampshire, Printer; Beta Press, Seattle, Wash., Publisher
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.98.8
- Provenance
- [Crown Point Press, San Francisco]; sold to MIA, 1998.
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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