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.