Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman

Cynthia Morris Sherman, known in an artistic world, as Cindy Sherman is one of the most recognizable and respected photographers of the late twentieth century. Her photographs are worth unbelievable sums of money reaching one million dollars at the auctions. Nearly 40 years in business, gave Cindy enough time to create her own signature style, in which she touched on sensitive and controversial issues like for example the role and representation of women in the society through art.

She was born on January 19, 1954 in Glen Ridge at suburbs of New York City. Shortly after her birth her family moved to Huntington in Long Island, where she grew up being the youngest of five siblings. Very often the parents’ work has a huge influence on most of the future artist, but not in Sherman’s case. Her father was an engineer and her mother a reading teacher. They were not involved in arts in any way, besides having a book with paintings from famous artists. She was the first in the family to enter the art school, after developing some artistic interest in high school.

Cindy’s journey with art began at the State University College at Buffalo. Even though, she had no artistic background, her parents fully supported her decision and believed in her success. However, Cindy’s mother advised her to have a plan B, in case of the failure in art. At Buffalo State Collage Sherman started developing the visual arts through painting. Soon after she realised it was not something she enjoyed and felt like there was a limit in expressing the ideas. She felt there was nothing else to deliver in this way. It frustrated her to the degree that she left painting and turned to photography, which became her main area of study until she graduated in 1976 with Bachelor of Arts degree title.

Immediately after the graduation she moved to New York City and began working on Untitled Film Stills project, which became Sherman’s one of the most recognizable work. Despite of many opinions that Cindy created her auto-portraits, the aim and the purpose of the project was completely different. Sherman took photographs of herself, but in various scenarios creating many personalities. She did not want to show herself in the images, but how she saw men seeing women. That is how she described her work:

“The work is what it is and hopefully it’s seen as feminist work, or feminist-advised work, but I’m not going to go around espousing theoretical bullshit about feminist stuff”. (Sherman)

She kept all of the photos untitled and numbered them to avoid being identified with its characters. All of the 69 pictures in the series were black and white, where the artist impersonated different female characters that supposed to give an impression of being taken from diverse B movies.

The interesting fact about the Untitled Film Stills project is that Cindy Sherman was able to create scenarios that look like a movie shot. While looking at any of those photographs the viewer is almost trying to recall the scene in which this image appeared. It only proves that Sherman is not only an exceptional photographer, but an actress as well. Besides creating appropriate atmosphere, lighting, finding suitable place to shoot, she also dresses up and poses perfectly. With use of a make up and putting on different wigs, she plays a role of iconic screen personas like Sophia Loren or Marilyn Monroe.

Even though, she did not expect to accomplish such a big success with this series, it looks like she thought of the smallest details. Many pictures were taken with use of an extended shutter release, while others required someone else to shoot. This only shows how well the project was planned and confirms that Cindy knew exactly what outcome she wanted to achieve.

It is also surprising that Untitled Film Stills was the very first Sherman’s project after graduation and it became her signature work soon after. It obviously proves how talented this woman is and turning from painting to photography was the right decision to make at the early stage of her studies. In this project she also touches on representation of woman in the society. Some of the images show the women as vulnerable beings in use of the settings, but the expression or pose that Cindy presents change the point of view immediately. The viewer by looking at character’s body language can easily get impression of strong and confident female.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Stills #35

My favourite photograph from Untitled Film Stills series is Untitled Film Stills #35, which shows a woman in an old and dirty looking apartment. Cindy dressed up as a housewife with an apron and a headband. At a first glance I thought: “poor woman”, but after short analysis of body language and Cindy’s gaze in particular, I changed my mind immediately. I could see an enormous strength in her eyes as well as some kind of secret intentions against the man. Almost like she was about to fulfill her conspiratorial plan.

All of the Sherman’s photographs give the viewer second thoughts and make them to analyze her work deeply. This is what I like the most about her work. It does not reveal everything at once, but with the time there is always something new to be spotted.

Another Sherman’s project that grabs my attention is collection of photographs called Disasters and Fairy Tales from 1985-1989. In this series, she presented completely different style than in Untitled Film Stills. Those images were set in much darker scenery with lighting exposing tones of blue, green and red. The settings were hard to identify, which added elements of mystery and fright. For the first time Cindy did not appeared in each picture, but used some dolls parts or prosthetic body parts that very often were placed in disgusting material like vomits or mould for instance.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #156 Disasters and Fairy Tales

Those images looked like they were taken from the horror movie and caused revolting reactions. This project was much more grotesque than her earlier work, but it created perfect contrast of her abilities. In the most repulsive things, Sherman found beauty and decided to capture it in the collection of 35 photographs, which were shocking and interesting in the same time.

I think each of her picture form Disasters and Fairy Tales project can create a separate story, which can be told while looking at it. Cindy’s idea about the image is not far from this statement:

“The still must tease with the promise of a story the viewer of it itches to be told”. (Sherman)

The reason I chose Untitled Film Stills and Disaster and Fairy Tales to describe in this essay is the fact that they are both so different and show Sherman’s work in a wide range of aspects. There is a technique, style, drama, emotions and elements of storytelling. Most of the mentioned photographs evoke extreme emotions and bring up second thoughts. The first collection is in black and white, which is kind of classic and sophisticated, while the other presents the fight of shades of darker colours. It is almost impossible to believe that the same artist took those photographs, but it proves that in art the sky is the limit.

The creativity and talent, which Cindy Sherman undeniably has, helped her to become one of the most acclaimed artist of modern times. The exhibitions with her photographs are put on regularly around the world. One million dollars was the record price paid for Cindy’s complete set from Untitled Film Stills. She did not expect to achieve international recognition and prestige, but photography industry is certainly very lucky to admire her work for nearly 40 years.

Dorota Bencheikh

References

Pittolo, V. (2009) “Cindy Sherman (American, born 1954)”. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=5392 [Accessed 1 April 2014].

CindySherman. (2004). Cindy Sherman. Available at: http://www.cindysherman.com/biography.shtml [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Hattenstone, S. (2011) “Cindy Sherman: Me, myself and I”, The Guardian, 15 January. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/jan/15/cindy-sherman-interview. [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Cruz, A. “Movies, Monstrosities, and Masks: Twenty Years of Cindy Sherman”. Available at: http://www.masters-of-photography.com/S/sherman/sherman_articles3.html [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Unknown. “Sherman, Cindy (1954-): Famed American art photographer”. Available at: http://www.masters-of-photography.com/S/sherman/sherman_articles4.html [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Habert, J. “Famous Quotes by Photographer Cindy Sherman”. Available at: http://photography.about.com/od/famousphotogquotes/a/CindyShermanquotes.htm [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Sherman, C. (1979). “Untitled Film Still #35”. Available at: http://whitney.org/ForKids/Collection/CindySherman/88504 [Accessed 1 April 2014].

Sherman, C. (1985). “Untitled #156”, “Disasters and Fairy Tales Series”. Available at: http://www.museoreinasofia.es/coleccion/obra/untitled-156-sin-titulo-no-156. [Accessed 1 April 2014].