Slow Fade to Black: Ethel Waters: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Color inkjet print (a) of Ethel Waters in a green frame (b).

The photograph (a) is intentionally out of focus. The figure of Ethel Waters is wearing an elaborate costume for the Broadway musical "As Thousands Cheer." She is wearing a matching asymetrical head piece. Water has a white dress with spotted detailing and leg-of-mutton sleeves. The overdress has a deep neckline, striped pattern, and diamond shaped belt. Waters is facing toward the camera with both arms raised on either side of her head and her mouth open in the midst of a dynamic pose. Water is surrounded by unidentified performers who are crouched down around her with their arms raised. In the original image, Waters can be seen wearing a large necklace, earrings, and rings. The underdress is a sheer fabric embellished with circular metal detailing. The head piece is the same striped pattern as the overdress. The performers crouched below Waters are in costume, mostly shirtless with jewelry, hats, and wrapped fabric head pieces.

The photograph is inset in the frame (b). The back borders of the frame are raised and have paper tape around the edges. At the top is a sticker with the TransArt International shipping label. The center portion of the frame has two white adhesive labels, one with information about the artist, Carrie Mae Weems. The other has exhibit details and the address for the Jack Shainman Gallery. Below this tag is information about the frame with cleaning instructions checked in black ink. There is a corded metal wire screwed into the frame to hang the photograph.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 2009-2010
• Photograph by: Carrie Mae Weems, American, born 1953
• Subject of: Ethel Waters, American, 1896 - 1977
• Type: portraits
• Type: inkjet prints
• Medium: inkjet print (a): ink on photographic paper;
• Medium: frame (b): acrylic, wood, wire and metal
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 11 3/4 × 8 3/4 in. (29.8 × 22.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (Frame): 12 7/8 × 9 7/8 × 1 1/2 in. (32.7 × 25.1 × 3.8 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Art
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2017.20.5ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder in honor of Richard and Laura Parsons, Colin and Alma Powell, and Darren Walker
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Carrie Mae Weems Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.