Red Bone Boy from the Colored People Series

More Information

One of the leading contemporary artists working with conceptual photography, Carrie Mae Weems examines prejudice in 'Red Bone Boy'. “Colored” is a term white people have used to label blacks while refusing to recognize them as individuals; “red bone” is an example of terms African-Americans have used to describe other blacks. By “coloring” the photographs of her young subject with brightly hued tones, Weems emphasizes how inadequately “black” describes a multi-colored and diverse race. At the same time, she addresses the situation where light-skinned blacks are often perceived as receiving preferential treatment over those with darker, or more “African,” skin.

Keywords

Text in art
American
Photography
Male
Portrait
African American
Gelatin Silver
Boy