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Smithsonian American Art Museum presents Carrie Mae Weems: Looking Forward, Looking Back
kisha ravi for visura blog
Nov 21, 2023
Location: G Street Northwest &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Smithsonian American Art Museum pairs two projects in which Weems invites others to step back in time. “Lincoln, Lonnie, and Me–A Story in 5 Parts” (2012) is a multimedia installation that transforms the gallery into a 19th-century illusionistic theater. This complex work brings to life episodes from the American Civil War to the present, accompanied by a soundtrack that evokes the constitutional promise of equality, along with projections of recurring racial and gender differences that make achieving it so elusive. It is accompanied by eight photographs from her series “Constructing History” (2008). Weems worked with college students to restage iconic photographs from World War II to the civil rights era and beyond. All the artworks were recently acquired by the museum; the installation is the only major video work by the artist in a public collection in the Washington, D.C., region. The exhibition is organized by Saisha Grayson, curator of time-based media, and John Jacob, the McEvoy Family Curator for Photography.
About the Artist
Described as an icon, national treasure, and genius, Weems is a moral compass in the field, entwining art and activism to address racism, sexism, classism, colonialism, and xenophobia. For four decades, Weems has been an inspiring force in American art, using photography, text, textile, video, film, installation, public art, and performance. Her work Lincoln, Lonnie, and Me - A Story in 5 Parts is part of SAAM’s collection and is on view in modern and contemporary art galleries. This major video installation brings to life phantoms of America’s past to address contemporary social issues. Weems was joined in conversation by Saisha Grayson, SAAM’s curator of time-based media.
Visit the link below for more info about the museum and its programs.
Carrie Mae Weems: Looking Forward, Looking BackAmericanart.si.edu
