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Carrie Mae Weems

Reflections for Now

— ,Art Gallery

The first major UK exhibition dedicated to one of the most influential American artists working today, Carrie Mae Weems.

Carrie Mae Weems is celebrated for her exploration of identity, power, desire and social justice through work that challenges representations of race, gender, and class. The largest presentation of the artist’s multi-disciplinary work in the UK to date, this exhibition brought together photographs, films and installations spanning over three decades.

Weems came to prominence in the early 1980s through photographic work that questioned how the representation of the Black subject, particularly within the US, has historically reproduced systemic racism and inequality. The exhibition captured the performative and cinematic nature of her practice, from the iconic Kitchen Table Series (1990) to the epic film installation The Shape of Things (2021) focusing on the history of violence in the United States.

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Some artworks in this exhibition contained references to systematic violence, assassinations, police brutality, and the transatlantic slave trade.

 

This exhibition featured three moving image works: Holocaust Memorial (02:49 minutes), Lincoln, Lonnie, and Me (18:29 minutes), and The Shape of Things (39:06 minutes).

 

Opening hours

  • Wed 2 August   Closed for technical reasons
  • Sat-Wed   10am-6pm (last entry 5pm)
  • Thu-Fri   10am-8pm (last entry 7pm)
  • Bank holidays   Opening times may vary 

Reviews

  • ‘A transcendent show‘
    Evening Standard
  • ‘Huge, historic, enthralling‘
    The Observer
  • ‘Carrie Mae Weems deserves our fullest attention.‘
    Financial Times
  • ‘Triumphant retrospective‘
    The Telegraph
  • ‘I have never been so spellbound by a single-person exhibition in my life.‘
    Katy Hessel, The Great Women Artists

Pay What You Can

Every Friday from 5 – 8pm, entry to Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now is priced Pay What You Can.

Simply pick the price you can pay and enjoy the exhibition. If you're able to pay £16, you'll be helping to support our Visual Arts programme at the Barbican.

Want to see more art for free? Become a member today

Closing Weekend

Celebrate our closing weekend with a programme of live events, including a lecture from artist Deborah Willis, plus music, talks and dance performance.

Discover Carrie Mae Weems

Untitled (Woman Standing Alone) from Kitchen Table Series, 1990. © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York / Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin.

Ask a curator: Carrie Mae Weems

Alayo Akinkugbe, founder of A Black History of Art walks through the ‘Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now' exhibition with curatorial assistant Amber Li, discussing their favourite works and the stories behind them.

Watch
carrie mae weems stands behind a lectern

Artist Talk: Carrie Mae Weems

To celebrate our exhibition Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now, we were delighted to host the artist on Friday 23 June 2023 to give a keynote on her expansive career, style and inspirations.

Watch

Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now trailer

Watch the trailer for Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now.
Thu 22 Jun—Sun 3 Sep 2023,

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Location
The Art Gallery is located on Level 3 and can be accessed by stairs and lifts from Level G or via the Sculpture Court if coming from outside. 

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.