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Carrie Mae Weems, Two Others Receive National Medal Of Arts

Carrie Mae Weems, Mark Bradford, and Alex Katz received the National Medal of Arts in this year’s ceremony.

The US government gives the National Medal of Arts under the National Council of Arts – an advisory committee appointed by the President. It is granted to American artists and philanthropists with significant contributions to public art. In a ceremony held at the White House on Monday, the recipients from 2022 and 2023 received the medals from US President Joe Biden. It is the last national awards ceremony headed by Biden before the US presidential elections next month.

The most well-known name among the recipients of the National Medal of Arts was Carrie Mae Weems, who is known for her photographic explorations of American culture, particularly race. She is perhaps most notable for her photographic project The Kitchen Table Series. She received the 2022 list of medals.

Alex Katz is a figurative artist with a career spanning over 70 years. He is known for the intimate portraits of people in his social circle. Mark Bradford is known for his abstract installations that are themed around Black history. Both of them received the 2023 list of medals.

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Other recipients of the medals were filmmakers Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg. Late sculptor Ruth Asawa and collector Ruth Carole Lauder also received the national Medals of Arts. Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott scripted history by becoming the first rappers to win the medals.