After Manet Possibly 2002 - 2015

Carrie Mae Weems made 'After Manet' with photography to speak to history, art history, and representation. The whole piece has this soft, sepia tone, like an old photograph found in an attic. The colors tell a story of memory. And then there is the texture, a dreamy softness, like a faded memory. It’s not hyper-real, but has a gentle quality, pulling you in. The girls wear these amazing white dresses, slightly too formal for their surroundings. Focus on the girl who's laying down, gazing right at you. Her hand is gently resting on the blanket beneath her, a touch that feels both casual and deliberate. It brings the eye back to Manet. Here, Weems invites a conversation across time and images, and reminds us that art, at its best, is always about exchange. It's about taking what's come before and making it entirely new.