CMA Staff Pick: Catherine D'Angelo

Hey there, friends! My name is Catherine D'Angelo, and I am the assistant manager of rentals and events at the CMA. I am your go-to person for all things rentals — from weddings to corporate gatherings and holiday parties, the museum is a welcoming venue for diverse occasions! In my free time I love pursuing film photography (*hint hint* for why I love this piece), reading, hiking, and spending time with my bowtie-wearing cat, Leonardo.

My favorite piece at the CMA is The Shape of Things by Carrie Mae Weems. This triptych holds a special place in my heart because Carrie Mae Weems was one of the first film photographers I studied. I was so excited to learn that the CMA was in possession of one of her pieces (so much so I begged them to let me into the vault). Weems took these on her first trip to Africa in Djenné, Mali, showing the ancient architecture of the urban center. Through her emphasis on the building details, Weems brings about a symbolic depiction of the human body in these photographs, juxtaposing the male to female body. I am continually in awe of Weems' work and her ability to evoke necessary questions surrounding themes of sexism, race, and cultural identity.

Carrie Mae Weems (American, born 1953)
Untitled (The Shape of Things), c. 1996
Photogravure on paper
Museum purchase with funds provided by John W. Adams and Alice Bee Kasakoff and the Anna Heyward Taylor Purchase Fund      
CMA 1996.28