Carrie Mae Weems: "Grace Notes: Reflections for Now" | ART21 "Exclusive"

[Carrie Mae Weems: "Grace Notes: Reflections for Now"]

[WEEMS] You write something

not because you have the answer.

You write something because you know that

you need to work through it.

[MAN] Commemorating every black man

who lives to see twenty-one.

Commemorating...

[WOMAN] Trevon Martin.

[MAN] Michael Brown.

[WOMAN] Eric Garner.

[WEEMS] Well, what is this piece?

And then I thought, oh well, really

this piece is very much like Antigone, isn't it?

There are only, like, ten stories in the world

that we keep coming back to.

And I thought, this is really

the story of a woman--of a community--

that is trying to figure out how to

bury her brothers.

And they're denying her the right to do that.

Because they're denying that it has even happened.

Or that it warrants our attention.

And she’s saying, "I'm going to bury him,"

"I'm going to bury him right."

[WOMAN] The woman tells the people

that the bright light of history

is now shining down on them--

on you, on me,

exposed now.

All things are unavoidable.

In shame, some will turn away.

But the crime remains.

The age of innocence has passed

and we are now responsible

for our own future.

[WEEMS] The thing to me

that is remarkable about our history--

about who we are,

about how we have conducted ourselves

in the onslaught of history--

has been to maintain the core of our dignity.

Our ability to still sort of evoke and offer

and to give that generosity--

to share it with others--

is one of our greatest strengths.

And to me, that is really the ultimate call
of grace.

[WOMAN, SINGING "AMAZING GRACE"]

♪ 'Twas grace that taught my soul to feel ♪

♪ and grace ♪

♪ my fears relieved. ♪

[WOMAN] But I think we don't often try to

make sure we are saving grace for ourselves.

We just give it all away.

Just forgive.

Why we always got to goddamn forgive so quick?

[WEEMS] Yes!

[WOMAN] I'm not saying we shouldn't forgive.

But why does it always got to be,

like, the mandate?

[WEEMS] That's right.

What about this self protection thing?

[WOMAN, SINGING "AMAZING GRACE"]

♪ ...did that grace appears... ♪

[WEEMS] It's like the contradiction of it all,

you know?

That yes, you give--

you're responsible--

but you must take care of yourself, you know?

But you can't only be selfish.

So you're constantly trying to figure out

where the balances are in your life

and in your work and in your love

so then you can move forward.

[WOMAN] I saw him running.

I saw him stop.

I saw him turn with raised hands.

I heard a shot.

I saw him fall.

[WOMEN, TOGETHER] For reasons unknown.

[WOMAN] Rejecting my own knowledge,

I deceived myself,

refusing to believe that this was possible.

How do you measure a life?

[CAST, TOGETHER] How do you measure a life?

An ode to life.

Every man, every woman

deserves to live the full length

of their natural lives.

--[WEEMS] You each have very unique voices

and very unique ways of articulating.

And I think that there's something about that,

that I don’t want to lose.

[WOMAN] I love, personally, that you want to know

who I am in it.

I just look forward to improvising,
the three of us.

[WOMEN, SINGING]

♪ Trust. ♪

[WEEMS] I am deeply aware of the stress--

you know, the stress that's put
on our community,

the stress that's put on black women,

the stress that's put on black men.

I mean it's not...
it's not a play.

It's really, you know,

this battle.

[MAN, SHOUTING]
1-9-0-6!

[SOUND OF FEET STOMPING AND HAND CLAPPING]

[MAN, SHOUTING]
A-PHI-A-STEP!

[SOUND OF FEET STOMPING AND HAND CLAPPING]

[WEEMS] As long as it's authentic.

If it comes from an authentic place

[CAST] Always stopped.

--[WEEMS] and concern,

[CAST] Always charged.

--[WEEMS] then you can't do any better than that.

You know, like
I'm not making something because it's fun.

I'm not trying to figure out how to be entertaining.

[WOMEN TOGETHER] Some said,
[WOMAN] "He can’t be helped."

[WOMEN TOGETHER] Some said,
[WOMAN] "Try."

--[WEEMS] And so that gets you some place else,

you know, just sort of gets you to another

place and space of consideration and possibility.

[WOMAN #1] The numbers tell the story.

[WOMAN #2] She was 25.

[WOMAN #1] He was a father.

[WOMAN #3] He was 22.

[WOMAN #1] A brother.

[WOMAN #2] She was 31.

[ALL SPEAKING TOGETHER]

[WEEMS] If our audience

can leave with the sense of question--

that they have really engaged with something

deep for themselves;

and that they know that it's serious,

but there is still some glimmer;

and that they can wake up the next day
and think about that--

then I'm alright.