<I>Slow Fade to Black: Ethel Waters</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2009-2010
name: label: Photograph by
content: Carrie Mae Weems, American, born 1953
label: Subject of
content: Ethel Waters, American, 1896 - 1977
notes: label: Description
content: Color inkjet print (a) of Ethel Waters in a green frame (b).
label: Description
content: The photograph (a) is intentionally out of focus. The figure of Ethel Waters is wearing an elaborate costume for the Broadway musical "As Thousands Cheer." She is wearing a matching asymetrical head piece. Water has a white dress with spotted detailing and leg-of-mutton sleeves. The overdress has a deep neckline, striped pattern, and diamond shaped belt. Waters is facing toward the camera with both arms raised on either side of her head and her mouth open in the midst of a dynamic pose. Water is surrounded by unidentified performers who are crouched down around her with their arms raised. In the original image, Waters can be seen wearing a large necklace, earrings, and rings. The underdress is a sheer fabric embellished with circular metal detailing. The head piece is the same striped pattern as the overdress. The performers crouched below Waters are in costume, mostly shirtless with jewelry, hats, and wrapped fabric head pieces.
label: Description
content: The photograph is inset in the frame (b). The back borders of the frame are raised and have paper tape around the edges. At the top is a sticker with the TransArt International shipping label. The center portion of the frame has two white adhesive labels, one with information about the artist, Carrie Mae Weems. The other has exhibit details and the address for the Jack Shainman Gallery. Below this tag is information about the frame with cleaning instructions checked in black ink. There is a corded metal wire screwed into the frame to hang the photograph.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Broadway Theatre
label: Topic
content: Entertainers
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Portfolio/Series
content: Slow Fade to Black
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder in honor of Richard and Laura Parsons, Colin and Alma Powell, and Darren Walker
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.20.5ab
objectType: label: Type
content: portraits
label: Type
content: inkjet prints
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Carrie Mae Weems
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: inkjet print (a): ink on photographic paper;
label: Medium
content: frame (b): acrylic, wood, wire and metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (Image): 11 3/4 × 8 3/4 in. (29.8 × 22.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (Frame): 12 7/8 × 9 7/8 × 1 1/2 in. (32.7 × 25.1 × 3.8 cm)