Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and film director emerging in the 1980s. She is best known for her conceptual portraits. Working as her own model, she has captured herself in a range of personas. Her work continually re-examines women’s roles in history and contemporary society, her photographs don’t necessarily have an explicit narrative or message, she leaves them untitled and largely open to interpretation.
Almost in all of the portraits I saw that she directly confronts the viewer’s gaze. She is her own model and she uses the personas to force the audience to reconsider common stereotypes. Some of the portrayals are disturbing, others are uncomfortably funny. Her photographs are elaborate, carefully planned and have well executed compositions. She conveys a narrative in a snap shot with these personas and uses wardrobes, props, set, lighting and makeup to make these characters come to life, almost in a “cinematic” way.
