Untitled Film Still #40. 1979

When starting the Self Image class, I had no idea who Cindy Sherman was, and the impact she had on photography today. I was definitely interested in knowing how she made a living out of selfies and portraits of entirely just herself. From watching the video in class, and checking out the readings at home, I saw how unique of an individual Sherman was, and how she can do so much with her photos. From one photo of hers to another, she makes it look like she's a completely different person, living in a completely different setting. She made this possible through wearing different outfits, altering her makeup, changing the background and scenery, and striking different poses. She was a powerful woman that was very dedicated to her work, that she even locked herself indoors sometimes. Artists, photographers, and painters all experienced the “Cindy Sherman Effect,” and recreated, reminisced, and mirrored her photos. Cindy Sherman, a master of photography, has definitely inspired many and will definitely continue to for coming generations.

The photo that I was inspired by to recreate was Untitled Film Still #40. In this photo, Cindy Sherman is seen sitting, what seems to be in front of a house, off a ledge. In the photo, I see her waiting, or just resting by herself. It seems that from the look of her face and glance, she sees something happening. When recreating the photo, I thought of finding a similar setting and background, which was something Cindy Sherman always took into consideration when creating her portraits. She always rearranged and chose her backgrounds in specific areas, to create something intricate to the audience. In both of our photos, we are sitting in similar settings, with the grass behind us, while sitting on a concrete ledge. Sherman and I, both are looking at an area the audience can’t see, where she has a face as if she is intimidated but I do not.

The thing that interests me is that it is up to the audience to imagine what is exactly going on in the photos by Sherman since she creates her photos without a description, and an untitled name. It is up to our imagination to figure out where she is, why she is sitting there, and what she is looking at. Many viewers can think of her photos in different ways, and I think that it’s alluring how she puts together her photos and stills. She is clearly an important woman of our time, and I’m glad I was able to learn more about her.

External Resources:

https://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2012/cindysherman/gallery/2/mobile.php

http://www.artnews.com/2012/02/14/the-cindy-sherman-effect/