Carrie Mae Weems

About the Author

Carrie Mae Weems is a pioneering American artist renowned for her profound exploration of race, gender, and power dynamics through photography, video, and performance. Born in 1953 in Portland, Oregon, Weems rose to prominence in the 1980s with her Kitchen Table Series, which intimately depicted Black women's lives and challenged societal narratives. Her work often weaves personal storytelling with historical critique, employing text, sound, and staging to confront issues of representation and identity. A recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship and numerous international awards, Weems continues to influence contemporary art with her incisive, empathetic lens on marginalized experiences. In her collaborative project Dawoud Bey & Carrie Mae Weems: In Dialogue, she engages in a visual and conceptual exchange with fellow photographer Dawoud Bey, highlighting shared concerns in portraiture and social justice.