But none of the meticulously composed scenes are from actual movies, even though both the plot and the character are familiar. In these photos, the artist alternates between different stereotypical female roles: the professional, the femme fatale, the fallen woman. A transformation that reveals identity as role-play, where femininity appears as something that is shaped by male expectations.
The pictures were profoundly intriguing to intellectuals of the time. Cindy Sherman is counted among the artists known as the Pictures Generation. In , Cindy Sherman began working with colour photography and larger formats. In these close-ups the characters are ruthlessly exposed. But the female figures are neither enticing nor nude; on the contrary, they are withdrawn or dishevelled.
The background is subdued, and the focus is on emotional expression, where light and colour enhance the atmosphere. The photos were considered provoking to the degree that the editors refused to publish them, for fear of adding to the image of women as helpless objects and victims.
The disturbing atmosphere is further heightened by the knowledge that the pictures were taken by a woman. Was Cindy Sherman even a feminist? The artist herself commented that the photos capture a private moment of contemplation and melancholy, causing the exploitative male gaze to backfire.
The debate raged, and the works were a success at Metro Pictures in New York. But the event had repercussions and Sherman chose to stop discussing her works publicly. Many of the images commissioned by avant-garde fashion designers and magazines from the mids are a delighted massacre of both the garments and ideals of beauty.
Burning issues of gender, power, AIDS and growing class divides became art subjects at around this time. Angry contenders like The Guerrilla Girls and Gran Fury turned their attention to media and advertising.
Punk and new wave were as characteristic of this era as glamour and financial boom. Pictures of a disintegrating fashion scene were followed by a dystopian imagery of decay, leftovers and vomit. Shortly before the collapse of the American art market in , Sherman made a series of fictional historical portraits, sampling an array of classical painting genres.
At a distance, a succession of large, bright images from the lates resemble decorative abstract paintings. But at close range, we discover that they depict revolting substances, reminding us of everything that is hidden behind the polished facade: body fluids, vomit, slime and blood. Mould and putrefaction increase our disgust. These stilllifes of decay marked the beginning of a period when the artist absented herself from the image — writing herself out of the narrative.
Where the female stereotypes Sherman presented in earlier pictures were based on laboured ideals, these emissions are all the more intrusive and realistic. They are reminders of the censored and psychologically repressed side of the feminine construct. Framed artworks mingle with print-outs and magazine pages tacked haphazardly to the walls. I love weird stuff; a good, weird flea market anywhere is really my favourite place to be.
Cindy Sherman photographed in her studio in New York in Aprill Portrait: Nina Subin. Sherman is currently preparing for a retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London this summer 27 June—15 September. These include the Cover Girl series ; Fig. Private collection, Paris.
She was also drawn to photographs, if not yet photography. The photographs in the album, which is being exhibited for the first time, chart her changing appearance as she ages from an infant to a pre-teen.
In college, she discovered the half-finished book, and decided to complete it. The confrontation of prevalent female stereotypes is central to her work. Through posing and photographing herself in various settings, she calls attention to the objectification of women.
The viewer is directly faced with and forced to confront these misogynistic stereotypes. She aims to make people recognise themselves in these situations and become aware of their inherent sexism.
Several series deal directly with these issues. In Sex Pictures , Sherman photographed plastic dolls in erotic positions to denounce the constant sexualisation of women in the media.
In this series, viewers were more struck with feelings of repulsion than identification. In this way, her work is incredibly thought-provoking. She focuses on the message of her work feminism and criticism rather than its beauty to provoke reflection. She tries to be as close as possible to reality instead of embellishing it.
Another thing to know about Cindy Sherman? She works in series. Choosing a specific theme enables her to explore all its aspects. One of her most famous series is Clowns Conceptual artists often create works in series. Another print of this photo had already been sold for several million in a feat in itself, since photography is often undervalued compared with other arts. Indeed, advertising is often seen as promoting stereotypes. In reality, Sherman always takes an unconventional approach to surprise and seduce.
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