April 10, 2020
Visual Analysis Essay.
The art of photography and mastery of great cultural, global, and technological topics is highly appreciated in the contemporary world. Carrie Mae Weems is an American artist who uses text and images to express herself in photography (O’Grady). Her art mostly revolves around a woman’s value, African woman femininity, and generally the life of a black person. Carrie sees photography as a powerful way of expressing oneself (O’Grady). Using texts helps her photography speak in significant volumes and reach out to the desired audience. The article analyses the instillation, “From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried (1995-1996)”, which elucidates the specific roles that black individuals had to play in society. By focusing on the sixth and sixteenth image, the paper identifies the different roles that women played while juggling between society and family.
From Here, I Saw What Happened, and I Cried (1995-1996) instillation has twenty-nine images, all captioned with texts. The photos are a series of false perceptions of black individuals, the titles given to them, the roles assigned to them, and hardships the individuals face. The artist expresses sympathy and sadness from the black person’s harsh treatment. The series portrays discrimination, inhumanity, and the hurt that the black person suffers due to his skin color. The black person is subject to laughter, judgment, slavery, and unfair treatment. By using texts to caption these images, Carrie was aiming at restoring the dignity and value of the black individual.
First, “YOU BECAME MAMMIE, MAMA, MOTHER, & THEN, YES, CONFIDENT-HA” is the sixth image in the instillation. It shows an encircled image of a black woman. She seems to be strong, acknowledged, and a highly appreciated figure compared to the previous images of women. The titles uplift the woman, i.e., Mammie, Mama, Mother, and confidant. She seems to have power and honor as a woman and a child-bearer. The artist depicts the worth of the black woman as a vital head of the family. She is a mother to her children and as a close companion to her husband.
Additionally, “YOU BECAME PLAYMATE TO THE PATRIARCH” is the sixteenth image in the instillation. It shows a red encircled portrait of a naked black woman. The circle and the use of color red suggest slavery. From the text captioning this image, it is clear that the society looks down upon the black woman. She is an object of sexual pleasure, a tool for her master’s sexual satisfaction. The image depicts the degradation of the black woman, her worth trashed, and her feelings disregarded. The woman is physically, emotionally, and mentally undressed to please the patriarch. She is subject to disrespect, disheartening roles, and unfair treatment because she is a black woman.
Cumulatively, the two selected images from the instillation show the societal perception of the black woman, but in different ways. In both photos, the women have vital roles to play. Both embody feminism, the sixth in terms of societal roles, and the sixteenth in terms of sexuality. Nonetheless, these images portray the black woman in two different lights. The sixth image depicts the woman as a reliable and robust entity of society. She is well dressed and looks honorable. However, the sixteenth image portrays the black woman as a weak and vulnerable being. She is naked and sexually objectified. The sixth image depicts the gratifying roles of a woman. Her worth seems appreciated, and she is uplifted, as a mother, a key family member, and a confidant. The sixteenth image depicts the complete opposite. The woman’s worth seems unappreciated. The image depicts her as a powerless figure that is only used for sexual pleasure. Generally, the black woman is uplifted in some roles and looked down upon in others.
Overall, the main point of the essay is to help students develop an argumentative visual analysis of the chosen topic, to determine their understanding of it, and to determine the ability of the students to discuss it from a general and a specific point of view. The social message is that art is a powerful element of expression, depending on how one feels or thinks about its subject and the elements he/she decides to use. Carrie Mae Weems makes use of images and texts to express how she feels about the black person’s slavery. She uses texts to restore the dignity and humanity of the black individual. Art is vital because it mirrors society; it tells the unspoken and reveals the hidden. It gives people a chance to feel and think without judgment or discrimination.
Work Cited
Design, Lisa Goodlin. “Carrie Mae Weems.” Carrie Mae Weems: From Here I Saw What Happened And I Cried, 1995-1996, carriemaeweems.net/galleries/from-here.html.