I drew inspiration from the works of Carrie Mae Weems for my portraiture series. Both Weem’s documentary photography works and contemporary publications challenge society’s depiction of black women, in life and in art. Weem’s most well-known works span from the 1980’s to 90’s, but she is still actively creating today. The portrait series that influenced my project the most was Weem’s “The Kitchen Table Series” (1989-90). I was fascinated by her use of camera positioning. It remains unchanged for the series, as does the setting. Yet, a deep storyline and strong emotions vary greatly across the photographs. She takes an image that could standardly be mundane (a woman at a kitchen table) and manages to turn it into a commentary on family dynamics and the emotions of human relationships.
(3 Images from the Series)