Golden Yella Girl from the Colored People Series

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One of the leading contemporary artists working with conceptual photography, Carrie Mae Weems examines prejudice in 'Golden Yella Girl'. “Colored” is a term white people have used to label blacks while refusing to recognize them as individuals; “golden yella” 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. Although she portrays her subjects sympathetically, the young girl’s profile pose recalls both ethnographic photographs of slaves and mug shots.

Keywords

Gelatin Silver
Tone
Profile
Portrait
American
Photography
Text in art
Girl
African American