Photograph by
Bright, Sheila Pree, American, born 1967
Subject of
Unidentified Woman or Women
Date
2006; printed 2016
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W (Sheet): 22 × 17 in. (55.9 × 43.2 cm)
H x W (Image): 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
Caption
Shoes recently kicked off, toys on the stairs, and a purse dangling from a newel post are all offered by Bright as traces of the Black domestic interior in The Suburbia Portfolio. With figures just out of frame or carefully obscured, these scenes maintain privacy for residents but also create an atmosphere of familiar intimacy and downtime.
Description
A color photograph of a closet in a house. Coats, jackets and uniforms hang on a wire rack. At center are two (2) Army jackets with shoulder insignia for the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, insignia for Sergeant First Class, and eight (8) service stripes indicating 24 years of service. On top of the rack, at proper left, is a bag for a United States Navy gas mask, printed: "USN / U / GAS MASK / ND MARK IV." At center is a large framed photograph or drawing of two (2) women wearing high-necked dresses or blouses. In front of the frame is small stack of Army caps in camoflauge fabric. At right is a box for a Sunbeam iron, on top of another box.
Portfolio/Series
The Suburbia Portfolio
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
inkjet prints
Topic
Architecture
Black geographies
Domestic life
Interior design
Military
Photography
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2016.55.6
Restrictions & Rights
© Sheila Pree Bright
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fe1fdfb7-ca20-489e-9502-6d23d3f11c04

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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