<I>Slow Fade to Black: Katherine Dunham</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2009-2010
name: label: Photograph by
content: Carrie Mae Weems, American, born 1953
label: Subject of
content: Katherine Dunham, American, 1909 - 2006
notes: label: Description
content: Black and white inkjet print (a) of Katherine Dunham and two unidentified individuals in a green frame (b).
label: Description
content: The photograph (a) is intentionally out of focus. The figure of Katherine Dunham is onstage performing in "Cabin in the Sky" with two other performers in costume. Dunham is wearing a flowing skirt and head piece. Dunham is in the middle of a pose with one leg raised and her arms joined in a circle in front of her body. She is looking off camera with her profile visible. The original image shows the arm bands, necklaces, strapless top, and bare feet that are part of Dunham's costume. The accessories and head piece have detailed embellishments. The two male perfomers are playing the drums, and are wearing arm bands and sandals.
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 manufacturer. There is a corded metal wire screwed into the frame to hang the photograph.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Broadway Theatre
label: Topic
content: Dance
label: Topic
content: Entertainers
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: 2017.20.12ab
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)