untitled #263

This is part of a work that is now known as the “Sex Picture”. When I first saw it I thought it was a sculpture but after doing some research I found that after the sculptures were made it was then photographed and the photos where shown as the art. This asks the question is it a sculpture or a picture. Right away I think of Richard Long and his question what is the art, the line on the ground or the photo I snapped of it after it was done. Is it the result of the journey? This question only makes this photo or sculpture all that more complex. Is Cindy Sherman asking a question about art or sexuality or both? If I was Cindy Sherman I think I would say both to both questions just because I think I would make more money selling it but of course I am not Cindy Sherman for maybe this very reason. Ok what we have is a sculpture made of prosthetics, fabrics, doll parts and a decretive ribbon. There are two heads both looking at the double sided torso with male and female genitalia. The torso has what looks like a decretive ribbon around it much like a present. There are two fabrics the torso and one of the heads is laying on one fabric that looks almost like a woman’s night gown. The second head is lying on what almost looks like a throw rug. Both heads are looking down at one of the genitals. At first I thought the first head was looking up but it is not so due to the fact that the male genitals are upside down. All of this I came to rather quickly we all want or are one of these things. The ribbon is the thing I have trouble putting my finger on then I saw that the female genitals is holding a tampon. So we have a night gown open to show all that the two sexes have to offer each other or even themselves and two disconnected heads one more connected to the torso because it is in the open night gown. Both of these heads are more or less disconnected from the torso and are looking back at it. The ribbon is showing that this is a gift. We will always covet no matter how far we try to distance ourselves with logic from the lust of the flesh we can’t help it. Why not use it for good? This is of course just one of the theories I have for this work but it’s the one I think is best. I think this is a work very open to multiple interpretations. This work reminds me of Tracey Emin’s work pointing out how our society has failed to make success equal happiness in I’ve got it all 2000.



Untitled #263 1992. 2000. Tate. 2004. http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=27115&tabview=work

a Play of selves act2 -17

This is one of the works Cindy Sherman did before coming to New York City. A Play of Selves was shown in Hallwalls in Buffalo while Cindy Sherman was finishing her last year or school. It was made by cutting herself out of photos. “This is the only work I’ve ever done that was autobiographical” says Cindy Sherman in the introduction of picture book A Play of Selves It really is, she uses these paper dolls of herself to tell a story with a very connected narrative. When I look at this work I am reminded of Andy Warhol in that we see the same characters a lot and Cindy Sherman’s face even more. I see this influence more in this work then the later Film Stills because even though we see her face over and over again we also see the same character over and over again, not that we don’t see his influence in Cindy Sherman’s later work I’m just saying I see more of it here. In this scene we see the female friend trying to exorcise all the demons, if you will, of the woman as she really is. Agony is holding her head with her hands and has a scarf over her hair, madness is kind of sitting with head resting on her cheek ,vanity has laid her mirror down and shut her eyes and desire is kind of crawling looking back maybe trying to help the others to escape. The way all these women are dressed up remind me of Fellini’s movie 8 1/2 in the scene where he sends one of the imaginary girls in his head upstairs to be forgotten and here again these women are in the head of the woman as she really is. The female friend is raising her hands in the air I don’t know if this is showing that she has some god like power or that she is simply giving up but both would be sending the same message of not being in control. I like this work because we see Cindy Sherman turning the camera on herself even more now before she even gets to New York City but she is doing it in a different way.
Sherman ,Cindy. A Play of Selves. New York: Hatje Cantz Verlag, Metro Pictures. 2007

Untitled film still #34

This photo is of Cindy Sherman lying on what looks like a bed. She is surrendered by dark fabric and there is what looks like a relationship self help book next to her. She is wearing panties and a button up white shirt she is wearing a short dark haired wig with rouge and lipstick. It looks to me like there is only one source of lighting which is off camera to the right of the camera about even with her feet. I think the easiest interpretation of this photo is a young woman reading a book dressed for and in bed is thinking about something. If I look a little closer I notice the picture is a little ambiguous. The panties are skin toned and remind me of Barbie’s genitalia. The makeup and wig remind me of Lou Reed’s Transformer album cover. She is wearing a man’s shirt, even the self help book is something both sexes can relate to. I know this is a movie still so what kind of movie would this be? When I see this picture I am reminded of the motor cycle movies of the 60’s late 50’s. She looks like the wild woman who rides on the back of the gang leaders chopper or maybe is a leader of her own pack in either case in these movies the woman is normally abused or at least under minded. The women in these kinds of films are also seen as having more power or at least tough enough to trample the girls next door. So what is Cindy Sherman saying to me? Well maybe it’s a statement about women with power or money and how it’s hard for them to find love in our society. Forceful women are looked at as crazies and forceful men as confident. Now powerful men also have the problem of finding love that is true which is where the ambiguous part of this picture comes in. As men find this picture physically attractive so we question our society. This picture reminds me of Lisa Yuskavage I think her paintings have a similar message.
Sherman ,Cindy, The Complete Untitled Film Stills. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2003.