Photograph by
Bright, Sheila Pree, American, born 1967
Date
2006; printed 2016
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W (Sheet): 17 × 22 in. (43.2 × 55.9 cm)
H x W (Image): 16 × 20 in. (40.6 × 50.8 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 kitchen counter with an assortment of items. At proper left is a white plastic drying rack with two (2) white glasses with a silhouette design and a plate with a blue patterned border. Behind the drying rack, on the window ledge, are a small painted bottle, a Cuisinart hand blender, and a blue wine bottle. At center is a glass jar, possibly storing tea. At center right is a cake stand with a wood base and glass top, with a collection of small figurines arranged on the base under the glass. At proper right in the foreground is a brown teapot, and in the background is a white plate with apples. Above the counter is a corner cabinet shelf with a honey bear with a little bit of honey inside, and a "mammy" figurine with the word "Jamaica" printed across the fruit basket on her head.
Portfolio/Series
The Suburbia Portfolio
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
inkjet prints
Topic
Architecture
Black geographies
Cooking and dining
Domestic life
Interior design
Photography
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2016.55.8
Restrictions & Rights
© Sheila Pree Bright
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53223410f-10f3-4b2b-aed0-d17d16dff252

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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