As a child, American artist Cindy Sherman described herself as a "TV addict," captivated by the variety of characters portrayed on screen. Born in Glenwood, New Jersey, in 1956, Sherman grew up during the golden age of mass media, coming of age in the turbulent 1970s. At the time, identity stereotypes were being consumed daily, not only by her but by nearly everyone in the West, through advertisements, cinema, and television.
While attending the State University of New York in Buffalo, Sherman began experimenting with presenting various alter egos, using herself as the main subject. Since the 1970s, her work has consistently exposed and deconstructed identity stereotypes, particularly those related to women. By transforming her appearance and embodying multiple personas, Sherman creates characters that reflect different aspects of society. Her influence on self-portraiture in photography and other mediums is profound, inspiring a generation of artists—across both the fashion industry and the art world—to challenge traditional notions of identity and femininity.
Untitled Film Stills (1977-1980)
Shortly after graduating from art school in 1976, Sherman released her acclaimed series Untitled Film Stills. Consisting of 69 grainy 8x10 black-and-white photographs, the series was created between 1977 and 1980. Printed on glossy paper, the images were intentionally designed to appear "cheap and trashy," in the artist's words.
Drawing inspiration from stereotypical female roles in 1950s and 1960s film noir and B-movies, Sherman crafted an array of clichés. She dressed in vintage clothing and used makeup and wigs to transform into various characters, from the lonely housewife to the seductive librarian. Each scene evokes a sense of familiarity, as the stereotypes Sherman portrayed were pervasive in mass media. Although these characters don’t exist in real life, they resonate deeply with viewers, creating a sense of déjà vu.
Untitled Film Stills remains one of Sherman’s most iconic works and is widely credited with revolutionizing the concept of self-portraiture in photography.
History Portraits (1989-1990)
After being invited to collaborate with a company to create functional works of art, Cindy Sherman visited a porcelain factory in France that housed many objects designed for Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV. Initially, Sherman wasn’t trying to replicate any specific portrait of Madame de Pompadour—she was simply creating a character inspired by her. However, after producing this initial image, the resemblance to portraits of Madame de Pompadour by François Boucher became apparent. This led Sherman to explore further, experimenting with imagery drawn from Old Masters such as Caravaggio and Raphael.
Using heavy makeup and lavish costumes, Sherman reimagined historical figures while playfully critiquing the art world’s reverence for these paintings. Rather than meticulously blending her makeup and prosthetics, she deliberately made them visible, highlighting the artificiality and exaggeration present in the original works.
Head Shots (2000-2002)
First released in Beverly Hills around the same time as the Oscars, Head Shots features Cindy Sherman portraying a series of aging, aspiring actresses preparing for auditions or potential roles. The timing of the release was intentional, as the series explores the cycle of desire and unfulfilled ambition that permeates Hollywood. The Oscars, as an event, highlights how few of these women ever "make it." Sherman crafted characters representing would-be or faded actresses posing for headshots, desperately hoping to land acting jobs. For a subsequent exhibition in New York, she expanded the series to include stereotypical East Coast personalities.
The style of the images resembles ID photos, headshots, or vanity portraits typically taken in everyday portrait studios by professional photographers. Through these portraits, Sherman examines how makeup, hairstyles, facial expressions, and poses can transform identities, while emphasizing how cultural stereotypes shape our perceptions through these visual cues.
Society Portraits
Cindy Sherman's Society Portraits (2008), set against opulent backdrops and framed in ornate settings, depict women who appear both tragic and grotesque. Although not modeled after specific individuals, these figures embody the familiar struggle with unattainable beauty standards in a culture obsessed with youth and status.
The large-scale format of the images emphasizes their vulnerability beneath layers of makeup, clothing, and jewelry. The portraits subtly reveal the signs of aging and cosmetic interventions, undermining their attempts to project polished elegance. Beneath the glossy surface, a darker reality unfolds.
As in much of Sherman’s work, these images sharply reflect the cultural zeitgeist. They also foreshadow the 2008 financial collapse, symbolizing the end of an era of excess. The sheer size of the portraits mirrors the extravagance they critique, making them both provocative and empathetic as they explore the complexities of contemporary identity.
Today
By deconstructing and reinventing the once-static genre of portraiture, Cindy Sherman influenced not only photographers but also painters, performance artists, and video creators. Her decision to exclusively use herself as the subject, while undergoing a wide range of transformations, inspired a new generation of artists to explore their own identities and confront the stereotypes so frequently perpetuated by the media.
