Carrie Mae Weems

"Since the 1980s, the artist Carrie Mae Weems has challenged the status of the black female body within the complex social fabric of American society. Her photographic work probes various spaces from the American kitchen table, to the historical archives of the Hampton School, to the ancient landscapes of Rome. Tugging at established roots of power that perpetuate violence and injustice, Weems's photographic portraits of her muse have not only become iconic, but she has become a rallying voice for change through her engaged performances, video work, and convenings. This October Files volume brings together critical essays and interviews that explore Weems's work, shedding light on her interventions in the fields of photography, African American art, and the institutions that shape the field of art history at large. Essays by Deborah Willis, Erina Duganne, Sarah Lewis, Robin Kelsey, Katori Hall, Salamishah Tillet, Dawoud Bey, and Jennifer Blessing that probe the underpinnings of photktales: Carrie Mae Weems, Allan Sekula, and the critique of documentary photography /