Carrie Mae Weems : Hasselblad Award 2023

Weems’ outstanding oeuvre is honored with the prestigious photography prize

In March 2023, Carrie Mae Weems (born 1953) became the first Black woman to win the Hasselblad Award. Citing her outstanding achievements in the field of photography, the Hasselblad Foundation wrote that “Weems’s work has for decades anticipated salient issues of our time—the struggle for racial equality and human rights—with unflinching visual and ethical force.” Spanning not only photography but also film and installation, Weems’ oeuvre foregrounds both the joys and obstacles of Black womanhood, whether through her own personal experience or a more universal scope. This commemorative monograph showcases Weems’ most prominent works, including Family Pictures and Stories (1978–84), Kitchen Table Series (1990) and From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried (1995–96). Other more recent series from 2016 and 2020 emphasize Weems’ continued innovations and contributions to photography.