Cindy Sherman established her artistic trajectory in 1976 with the Bus Riders series, employing costume and makeup to manifest diverse identities. By transforming herself into a variety of characters for public display, she began a career-long exploration of identity, social constructs, and the nuances of the photographic medium through her own presence in front of the lens.
Academic Foundations and Early Artistic Development
Born in 1954 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Sherman enrolled at Buffalo State University in 1972. Initially focused on painting, she experienced dissatisfaction with the perceived limitations of the medium. She transitioned to photography, viewing the camera as a tool for executing ideas rather than merely replicating existing art. During this period, she engaged with conceptual frameworks, meeting fellow artist Robert Longo and co-founding the Hallwalls arts center in 1974. Her exposure to contemporary works by artists like Hannah Wilke and Adrian Piper reinforced her shift toward conceptual photography.
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Sherman operates as a solo creator, managing every aspect of her production including lighting, wardrobe, hair, and makeup. She often describes this process as an intuitive, trance-like state in which she stares into a mirror to inhabit a character. Associated with the Pictures Generation, her work frequently utilizes series to critique societal stereotypes. Projects like the Bus Riders and the 1981 Centerfolds challenged viewers to confront their expectations regarding the representation of women in film, television, and print media.
Untitled Film Stills and International Recognition
The series Untitled Film Stills, produced between 1977 and 1980, remains a pivotal contribution to contemporary photography. Consisting of 69 black-and-white images, the collection features Sherman in various roles such as librarians and seductresses, evoking the visual language of 1940s and 1950s film noir and Italian neorealism. By refusing to provide specific titles for these photographs, she maintained an ambiguity that allowed viewers to project their own narratives onto the scenes of isolated, private figures.
Professional Honors and Sustained Career
Throughout her career, Sherman has expanded her practice beyond traditional photography into filmmaking and directing. Her contributions to art have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 1995, the Hasselblad Award in 1999, the Praemium Imperiale in 2016, and the Wolf Prize in Arts in 2020. She maintains membership in the Royal Academy of Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, continuing to influence discussions surrounding feminist and abject art.
Fast facts
- Born: 1954, Glen Ridge, United States
- Education: Buffalo State University
- Notable work: Untitled 96
- Notable work: Untitled 153
- Movement: Feminist art, Abject art
- Key accolade: Wolf Prize in Arts, 2020
- Key accolade: MacArthur Fellowship, 1995
- Key accolade: Praemium Imperiale, 2016
Questions readers ask
Does Cindy Sherman view her photographs as self-portraits?
No. She has stated that she feels anonymous in her work and often disappears into the characters she portrays, asserting that she never sees herself in the final images.
What is the Pictures Generation?
It is a movement of artists, including Cindy Sherman, Laurie Simmons, and Barbara Kruger, who explored and critiqued the influence of mass media imagery on contemporary identity.
Achievements
- Praemium Imperiale — 2016
- Wolf Prize in Arts — 2020
- Notable work: Untitled 96
- Notable work: Untitled 153
- Movement: feminist art and abject art
