Carrie Mae Weems’ work explores themes of power and its consequences through the lenses of race, class, and gender. Weems situates herself outside the British Museum in a state of contemplation, questioning if and how she should enter. She stands clothed in all black, offset and contrasted by the swarms of tourists dressed in lighter colors and moving with ease. Through this juxtaposition, she complicates for whom museums are intended and who is welcome in this space. Weems problematizes artistic institutions as mainly white and male by situating herself in a stand-off not only with the museum’s entrance but with a large banner promoting a Michelangelo exhibition. Her presence both confronts and threatens it. As figures file into the museum, moving as a crowd, Weems stands in defiance, aware of what she will find on the inside, including stolen artifacts, displays of imperial conquest, and assertions of dominance manifested in objects.

–Rose White ‘20

From the exhibition: When and Where I Enter (October 20, 2018 – January 6, 2019)