Cindy Sherman
By turning the camera on herself, Cindy Sherman has built a name as one of the most respected photographers of the late twentieth century. Although, the majority of her photographs are pictures of her, however, these photographs are most definitely not self-portraits.
By titling each of the photographs "Untitled", as well as numbering them, Sherman depersonalises the images.
For the first time in her public career, Sherman was not the model in all of the images. Shot from 1985 until 1989, these images are far more grotesque than Sherman's earlier work. Often intentionally dressing to look scary and deformed, Sherman sets herself in strange, indefinable settings which often feature oddly coloured lighting in shades of blue, green and red. At times, Sherman employs dolls parts or prosthetic body parts to substitute for her own and many a scene is strewn with vomit, mould and other vile substances. Sherman's intent is to explore the disgusting, yet these are things that she admittedly can find beauty in.
In the History Portraits Sherman again uses herself as model, though this time she casts herself in roles from archetypally famous paintings. Using prosthetic body parts to augment her own body, Sherman recreates great pieces of art and thus manipulates her role as a contemporary artist working in the twentieth-century.
A self-proclaimed lover of horror films, Sherman draws on the characteristics of this genre as well as the visual motifs established as a still photographer.
The photographs she creates especially the horror collection of her dead and using other body parts are my favourite. The way in which they are taken presents a crime scene investigation for the viewer to analyse. She juxtaposes her self with body parts of dolls and distorts the way in which she is viewed. I agree that her highly saturated photography looks like it belongs on a film set, because the way in which she narrates each shot and uses feminine cliches to expose the male gaze and herself.
Below:Cindy Sherman, Untitled (for Mark Morrisroe), 2000 C print 24 x 20 inches Ed: 75. Far below: Cindy Sherman Untitled (Disasters), 1988
