Slow Fade to Black: Billie Holiday
Object Details
- Date
- 2009-2010
- Photograph by
- Carrie Mae Weems, American, born 1953
- Subject of
- Billie Holiday, American, 1915 - 1959
- Description
- Color inkjet print (a) of Billie Holiday in a green frame (b).
- The photograph (a) is intentionally out of focus. A close-up of Billie Holiday's face is on the left side looking off camera. There is a purple hue over Holiday and a black background. Holiday has a large accessory in her hair. She is wearing a black top and a layered necklace. The bottom right corner has illegible text. Th original image was the album cover art for "Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933–1944." In the original image, the flower accessory in Holiday's hair, layered pearl necklace with matching earrings, and sequin detailing on her black top are visible. The text on the right side of the cover has the album name.
- 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 marked in black pen. There is a corded metal wire screwed into the frame to hang the photograph.
- Topic
- African American
- Art
- Entertainers
- Jazz (Music)
- Photography
- Singers (Musicians)
- Women
- See more items in
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
- Portfolio/Series
- Slow Fade to Black
- Classification
- Visual Arts
- Photographs and Still Images
- 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
- Object number
- 2017.20.2ab
- Type
- portraits
- inkjet prints
- Restrictions & Rights
- © Carrie Mae Weems
- Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
- Medium
- inkjet print (a): ink on photographic paper;
- frame (b): acrylic, wood, wire and metal
- Dimensions
- H x W (Image): 11 3/4 × 8 3/4 in. (29.8 × 22.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Frame): 12 7/8 × 9 7/8 × 1 1/2 in. (32.7 × 25.1 × 3.8 cm)
- Record ID
- nmaahc_2017.20.2ab