Cindy Sherman’s work investigates identity through a diverse range of themes displayed via self -portraits in various disguises. She explored themes including fashion, cinema and gender. In 1995 The Museum of Modern Art acquired all of Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills. Sherman began this series in 1977. To see these works with an introduction by curator Eva Respini click here
Having grown up as part of a generation raised on television she began to experiment with the stereotypes being represented in the media. Although the roles Sherman played were recognisable, all of her characters were purely fictional. Her compositions vary from that of an entire scene with a character that hints at a story to photographs focussing on the character alone.
The job of a film still is to promote the film therefore the still has to entice the prospective customer by providing just enough information but not too much. It must leave the audience wanting the whole story, or to know the background events to the outcome that is presented. On the other hand if the film has a popular actor then all you may need is the star actor in the Film Still and nothing else. The job of the Film Still therefore is to encapsulate a depth of information. As Arthur C. Danto says in his Essay “The girl condenses the myths that define life’s expectation in Middle American fantasy and we all know her stories”. Sherman chose characters that showed vulnerability and femininity. She depicted lost, frightened, distraught, abandoned women and yet we can also see these women to be strong and independent. “In the aggregate they touch the myth we each carry out of childhood, danger, love, security that defines the human condition” (Danto, 1998, p.14).
When looking at Cindy Sherman’s fictional film stills we can simultaneously recognise them as Clichés as well as identify elements of ourselves within them. Commenting on Sherman’s work, Rochelle Steiner (2003, p.22) states “her images imply that what we see in others and what others see in us is always and only a façade.” Despite all the make-up and costume we are reminded that we are the same underneath.
A lot of my paintings display costumed characters, using their own form of disguise yet the stories and emotions are relatable reminding us there is more than one dimension to a character.
