Carrie Mae Weems (b. 1953, Portland, OR) examines issues of race, class, and gender identity. Primarily working in photography and video, but also exploring everything from verse to performance. Weems has said that regardless of medium, activism is a central concern of her practice; specifically, looking at history as a way to better understand the present. She rose to prominence with her “Kitchen Table Series” in the early 1990s, examining tropes and stereotypes of African American life.

The recipient of numerous honors and awards, she was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow in 2013. Weems received her BFA from the California Institute of the Arts, Santa Clarita (1981) and MFA from the University of California, San Diego (1984). She currently lives and works in Syracuse, NY, and is Artist in Residence at Syracuse University.

Carrie Mae Weems (b. 1953), "The North Star," 2022. inkjet prints. 24 x 30 in (1); 20 x 24 in. (2); 16 x 20 in. (2); 11 x 14 in (2). Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. TGM16. Photography by Mitro Hood. Courtesy of the Mississippi Museum of Art and Baltimore Museum of Art.

This project centers on the unending search for my grandfather, Frank Weems. All my current efforts are focused on unpacking his story and what became of him.

- Carrie Mae Weems

Carrie Mae Weems (b. 1953), "Leave! Leave! Now!," 2022. single-channel digital video (color, sound) installation with mixed media, 25 min. dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. TGM18. Photography by Mitro Hood. Courtesy of the Mississippi Museum of Art and Baltimore Museum of Art.