Untitled Film Still #49

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman rose to prominence with “Untitled Film Stills” (1977–80), a series of 69 photographs in which the artist captured herself reenacting pop culture clichés about women. In the years since, the artist—a major figure of the so-called Pictures Generation—has continued to photograph herself in various guises as she examines women’s roles in history and contemporary society. Sherman’s images range from the beautiful to the grotesque; she’s used elaborate costumes, extensive makeup, and wigs to build her characters and has, in recent years, embraced digital tools to further manipulate her images. Sherman has exhibited in multiple Venice Biennales and Whitney Biennials, and in institutions around the world. She has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, and her work regularly sells for seven figures on the secondary market.