Lecture Notes: Carrie Mae Weems' Kitchen Table Series

Overview

• Discussion centered on a photographic print by Carrie Mae Weems
• The photograph, titled "Untitled (Woman Feeding Bird)," is part of Weems' iconic Kitchen Table Series
• The series was created between 1989 and 1990

Significance of the Kitchen Table

• The kitchen table is a central theme in the series, representing:
  • A center of gravity in the home
  • A place of nourishment and important conversations
  • A metaphor for life's intimate experiences, vulnerabilities, triumphs, and failures
  • A space where a full range of emotions can manifest

The Kitchen Table Series

• Comprises 20 prints and 14 text panels
• Photographs can stand alone but are also part of a broader narrative
• Carrie Mae Weems worked daily on the series, involving friends and neighbors
• Scenes are staged and thoughtfully constructed, not snapshots
• Reflects Weems' background in folklore and photography

Themes and Composition

• The series captures themes of tension, solitude, and interaction
• The photograph "Untitled (Woman Feeding Bird)":
  • Displays a woman in solitude feeding a bird in a cage
  • Photographed from the far end of the table, creating a separation from the viewer
  • Geometric framing: woman positioned between the rectangle of the door and circle of the birdcage
  • Use of light and shadows to focus attention and create intimacy

Symbolism and Interpretation

• Caged Bird: Symbolizes entrapment, beauty, and confinement
• Reflection on the role of women in history and art
• Flipping traditional art focus from famous and powerful individuals to intimate domestic spaces
• Celebrates the power and importance of women in domestic environments
• Calls for deeper reflection on the significance and multidimensionality of the kitchen space

Conclusion

• The kitchen is more than a place for food preparation; it is where home and life experiences unfold
• Weems invites us to recognize the emotional and activity-filled space that a kitchen represents in a woman's life

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