A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts

1995

Kara E. Walker American, born 1969

Not On View

A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts

A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts: 1 of Collection Gallery

A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts: 2 of Collection Gallery

A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts: 3 of Collection Gallery

A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts: 4 of Collection Gallery

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Title A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts

Artwork Date 1995

Artist Kara E. Walker

Life Dates born 1969

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. American

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Unknown

Medium Etching and aquatint printed in black ink on wove paper

Dimensions Sheet (each panel): 35 × 24 inches (88.9 × 61 cm)

Classification Prints

Department African American Art

Credit Founders Society Purchase, Charles L. Freer Fund

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 1996.70

Markings

Signed Signed, top left of the fourth sheet: Kara Walker 1995

Inscriptions Inscribed in pencil, top center: 8/20 A Means to an End Inscribed in pencil below publishers stamp on first sheet, lower left, verso: KW-06-95 (weening) Inscribed in pencil below publisher's stamp on second sheet, lower left, verso: KW-07-95 (dog) Inscribed in pencil on third sheet, top center: A Shadow Drama in Five Acts; in pencil, verso: KW-08-95 (dancing) Inscribed in pencil on fourth sheet, lower left, verso: KW-09-95 (head) Inscribed in pencil on fifth sheet, lower left, verso: KW-10-95 Signed and dated in pencil, top left of the fourth sheet: Kara Walker 1995

Provenance

1996-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

Suggest Feedback

Published References

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We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Courtesy of Sikkema Jenkins & Co.

Kara E. Walker, A Means to an End...A Shadow Drama in Five Acts, 1995, etching and aquatint printed in black ink on wove paper. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Charles L. Freer Fund, 1996.70.