Do Something: Pat Ward Williams and Carrie Mae Weems

Carrie Mae Weems, An Anthropological Debate (from From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried), 1995-1996

Tags: art/music, historical sociology, media, race/ethnicity, collective memory, discourse, lynching, museum, public memory, racism, representation, signification, 06 to 10 mins
Year: 2008
Length: 9:11
Access: YouTube

Summary: This clip is described on YouTube as “A ten minute video about how two female artists of African descent dismantle the myths of the historical photo.” There is a narrated discussion, which asks viewers to consider questions such as “who took the photo?” and “How was this photo possible?” This clip would be useful for introducing students to the topic of representation through visual media, as it encourages them to question the idea of the photo as an objective representation of reality. The clip reminds viewers that photographs are necessarily captured and presented in particular contexts which have important implications for meaning making. For more of Carrie Mae Weems' art, check out Artsy’s  page devoted to her work.

Submitted By: Lester Andrist

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