Untitled (Blessing and Healing Oil)

Untitled (Blessing and Healing Oil). 1992-1993.
Edition of 10, 2 APs (# 1/10).
Gelatin Silver Print.
20¾” x 20¾” x1 ½”.
© Carrie Mae Weems. 
Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

Untitled (Blessing and Healing Oil), depicts the interior of a praise house, a location where Gullah community members express themselves socially, politically, and spiritually. The photograph acts as a testament to the persistence of African religious practices integrated into the Gullah community and to the nuanced richness of Gullah spirituality. In this image, Weems crafts a disorienting effect by inserting mirrors into the image that function to reflect the room upon itself. This textured and refracted composition acts as commentary on the irreducible and multifaceted nature of Gullah experience.

 Emma Lewis ‘14
Gund Gallery Associate