"Untitled #96" 1981
Cindy Sherman (born 1954)
Chromogenic color print, 24 x 48"
This photograph sold for the highest price in history…$3.9 million.
Cindy Sherman, the photographer, is a creative wild woman at the camera.
Using costumes, wigs, make-up and simple sets, Sherman invents a character. Then she poses in front of her own camera. No matter what Sherman’s disguise, the photo is ALWAYS a self-portrait.
Famous 15th century women from art history, clowns, Hollywood starlets and abused women have been her subjects.
In the photograph above, Sherman is dressed as a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood. This girl (Sherman) is lying supine on the kitchen floor clutching a torn classified ad. Is she dreaming of her traditional future of marriage and family? Or of a different kind of future?
It’s 1980. Women are demanding equality in the workplace. The second feminist movement is in full swing. This photograph marks a critical, tumultuous time in America.
Sherman’s most recent work explores the experience of women “of a certain age” struggling with today’s impossible standards of beauty in a youth-obsessed culture. (see video link below)
Cindy Sherman is not ridiculing these women. These photographs are self-portraits. She is one of us. She makes us examine the “masks” we wear and the roles we play.
Spectacular Video of Cindy Sherman’s Art.
Use this link if unable to view the video.
I never took an art history class – or any art class for that matter, and I never had much interest in art even though my mother is a very accomplished artist, but you have taught me so much through your blogs and I am always mesmerized and fascinated by what I have learned from you, but this one caught my total attention.
Thanks Kirby…this was really interesting. I had never heard of Cindy Sherman until you introduced her through this blog. I watched several of the videos that were posted, and found her work to be interesting and fascinating. Thanks for the intro.
Better said, “… Cindy Sherman is a wild woman.” Love it. How good can it get – brillliant, creative, successful, wealthy, a mind unrestricted by any standard and most probably happy.
Hurray!
Kirby,
Thanks for sharing that video of Cindy Sherman’s photography. She is so unusual and creative in an out of-the-box sort of way. I can imagine she would be fun to know. I wish I could have seen her show at MOMA.
Mike
Wow! She is amazing! I’ve never seen her work. How sad that is. I’m sure most people don’t have a clue, even if they Have seen her work, which I fear is few.
Cindy Sherman is a creative inspiration. Thanks for the reminder, Kirby. We should have an outrageous dress-up like Cindy lunch sometime!
Cindy Sherman has always been very disconcerting to me. Her show at MOMA is very unsettling. The first time I saw her work I didn’t like it, because she addresses the not so pleasant in women. But all that said, she is a good artist.
I love Alice’s idea! What if we had a Cindy Sherman dress-up party at Kirby’s studio in San Diego? I would come, would you? Now that I think about it, that would be a lot of work. But what a lesson in art.
Thanks once again for introducing me to an artist about whom I’m unfamiliar. This was SO absorbing — to read your words and to get to see so much of her work. I am constantly amazed by the scope of creativity among artists. Lydia
Kirby! I am obviously too Texas White-Bread for Cindy Sherman. She is beyond me. Susan