3. Carrie Mae Weems, Hush of Our Silence

3. Carrie Mae Weems, Hush of Our Silence

2003, c-print, 23.625 x 19.75
[courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York]

Hush of Our Silence

Carrie Mae Weems is known for photographs that examine the challenges facing African Americans, and for her explorations of racial equality, human rights, and social inclusion in the . Depicting what looks like an isolated gramophone speaker, Hush of Our Silence evokes the whispered and often tension-filled dialogues, and subsequent silences, that may occur in a domestic setting. This household object, usually associated with music, appears quiet, suggesting a shift in wis and is not being heard or said—and a parallel between what is unsaid at home and what goes unspoken of in public life.

Cornelia Stokes