Cindy Sherman's work explores themes of identity and subverting female stereotypes through portraying herself in various guises. She photographs herself representing different characters to challenge perceptions of women. Sherman's early "Bus Riders" series depicted people she saw on her daily commute to represent how individuals can be perceived differently. Her iconic "Untitled Film Stills" from the 1970s portrayed herself in fictional film stills that undermined common portrayals of women in media through techniques like lighting and costuming. Sherman's work examines concepts like gender fluidity and how perceptions have changed little over time, making her an important chronicler of history and women's representations.
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Gender Fluidity M Middleton - 19-24 final.pdf
1. GENDER FLUIDITY AND
THE SUBVERSION OF
FEMALE STEREOTYPES
THE MANY GUISES OF
CINDY SHERMAN
Related Study by Ella Middleton
2. ‘I am trying to make other people
recognize something of themselves rather
than me’
Cindy Sherman
3. GENDER FLUIDITY AND THE
SUBVERSION OF FEMALE
STEREOTYPES
THE MANY GUISES OF CINDY
SHERMAN
For my related study I will be exploring the work of Cindy Sherman, and how her work is centred around
identity and female stereotypes. In my Personal Investigation I have worked on the theme of female
objectification and the male gaze. As a 17 year old teenage girl who is growing up in a social media
obsessed society, this can have a profound affect on they way I am perceived and the way I wish to be
perceived. In life we seem to have multiple identities, both real life and virtual. For the last 45 years
Sherman has been exploring multiple guises and raised questions about the perception of women in
society.
I am going to explore a range of work from Sherman’s career. From the initial “Bus Riders” series where she
photographed herself representing people who she would see on the bus on a daily basis, to her iconic
“Untitled Film Stills”, all the way to her most recent work, “Society portraits”.
My intentions are to look at how she created these characters and how she turned herself into them, as
well as who they were. She has subverted the female stereotype and broken the way woman were seen
back then, as well as now. She is a chronicler of our history. She shows how little has changed when it
comes to the way women are seen and spoken about.
I will look at why Sherman made her work and who inspired her to do so. I am going to also explore her
legacy to see who she has had an impact on.
4. To be Gender Fluid you are relating to
yourself as a person who does not identify
themselves to having a fixed gender.
To be subversive you are undermining the
power, as well as authority, of an established
system.
To have a stereotype you have a fixed idea of
a particular type of person, or thing. In this
case it relates to a female.
5. 1954 Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
USA
1974 Co-founds Hallwalls, Buffalo
1976 Graduates from the State
University of New York at
Buffalo
1977 Creates ‘Untitled Film Stills’
1980 Makes ‘Rear Screen
Projections’ series
1985 Series; ‘Disasters and Fairy
Tales’
1989 References European old
master paintings in ‘History
Portraits’ series
1995 Awarded MacArthur Fellowship
1997 Directs first film, Office Killer
2012 Retrospective exhibition at
Museum of Modern Art, New
York
CINDY SHERMAN TIMELINE
Cynthia Morris Sherman
DOB: January 19, 1954 – United States
Best known for her conceptual portraits and being
an American photographer and film director.
She is well recognised for "Complete Untitled Film
Stills," a series of 69 black-and-white photographs
which were meant to subvert the stereotypes of
women in media.
Sherman made a leap from monochrome images
to colour in the 1980’s which increased the
intensity, variety and size of her images. Following
on from this she developed her work further, to
include digital technology which allowed her to
add backgrounds, alter images and experiment
with appearances.
6. “By inventing fictitious characters and photographing herself in
imaginary situations, she inhabits a world of pure appearance.
No other artist interrogates the illusions presented by modern
culture in such a penetrating way – or scrutinises so tellingly
the facades that people adopt.”
Paul Moorhouse, Curator National Portrait Gallery,
London
Sherman was a big influence in the 1970’s due to the way she responded to the current global issues in that era,
and of the way women were treated and portrayed.
Sherman creates interpretive portraits which are based off of the popular culture during the early 1980’s. She
uses her body as the focal point in her images, and constructs attention from the convectional imagery which is
found in mass media, in particular film work.
Her work was done through the postmodern era of the 1970’s and the early 1980’s. She made her images
appropriate with the time they were taken and the social situation at the time, which was media-derived images.
CINDY SHERMAN - IDENTITY
7. The idea for these photographs came from Sherman getting on the bus everyday. She realised that everyone
was seen differently. Sherman may perceive someone completely differently to someone else. She could see
them as tired, but another person may seem them as lazy. Due to this Sherman decided she wanted to
represent each person on the bus. This is the reason for the title ‘Bus Rider’. Sherman wanted everyone to be
aware people see you different to how others do.
The images scale’s are 189 x 127 mm.
The date is 1976 but printed in 2000.
The medium is photograph on gelatin silver print
on paper.
EARLY WORK – BUS RIDERS 1976
Sherman's style of work
demonstrates different
characteristics that one person
can show.
The passengers she portrays
represents a different person
each time. The way she lights
the image helps to show that all
photos are representing
someone she saw on the bus.
She does this to express the idea
of gender fluidity. Sherman
applies makeup to break a
stereotype that its not just for
women.
9. Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
This is Untitled Film Still 21 from her Untitled Film Series. 1978.
The medium is gelatin silver print.
In Sherman’s early pieces she pictured herself as an
anxious struggling woman, who was endangered, or
sensed threat from a situation. These pictures built up
to become ‘the film stills’.
Relating to the 21st century and the society we are now in,
we are shown celebrities, movie stars and models in a
certain way. This is through the best possible appearance
which is displayed with their perfect makeup and attire. The
truth is they're hiding themselves. They are hiding their
faces under the makeup, their real body under their plastic
surgery, which they've had to create an ideal body and a
look that everyone else should replicate.
Society causes insecurity upon young women due to them
not feeling like they can live up to the standards of what we
see on social media. Women are giving a standard that
society places for them, that is sometimes unreachable
because the goal has been manipulated either through
Photoshop or plastic surgery.
10. The title Sherman gave this image is an oxymoron
paradox. It resembles a film still and is given that
name, but is not one. A film still is a screenshot
from a movie which Sherman wanted her photo to
look like. The features of the image that make it
look like a movie still shot are; the lighting, the look
in her eye, the tilt of her head and the expression
on her face making her look like she is reacting to
something.
The reason for Sherman looking away is because
she wanted to represent herself as an anxious
struggling women, who was or sensed to be in a
threatening situation. Although the other theory is;
a women’s sense of self and self worth depends on
something else, something that is out of the frame,
therefore she is looking away.
Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
11. Having a series encouraged her to build more realistic photographs. She began to use techniques used
by the film industry including Rear Screen Projection technology
The original techniques that were used in the 1930’s were when actors would work in front of a
projected background. This gave her photographs a cinematic feel especially when used with props,
makeup, costume and wigs.
All these reinforced how media stereotyped women.
Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
REAR SCREEN PROJECTION
12. Sherman has represented herself as a
1960’s movie character which can be
portrayed through the clothing she is
wearing.
This image is displaying that being a
woman is always a performance, there is
always a show that can be put on through
acting a certain way. Being a woman can
be seen as masquerading because our true
identity is never revealed. us Females are
seen to be always hiding. Is this because
males are always put first?
This still was based on showing a woman's
role in society and how the ideal woman is
shown as helpless. This relates to a well
known saying ‘a damsel in distress’.
Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
13. A femme fatale, sometimes called
a man-eater, is a stock character
of a mysterious and seductive
woman whose charms ensnare
her lovers, often leading them into
compromising, dangerous, and
deadly situations. She is an
archetype of literature and art.
Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
THE FEMME FATALE
14. Untitled Film Stills (1977–80)
Becoming Lauren Bacall
These black and white pictures show a featured artist in stereotypical
female roles which is inspired by 1950s and 1960s Hollywood film
Noir, and European art-house films.
The connection between these images are the way they’ve been lit
and how the model is posed at an angle.
Sherman is trying to emulate Bacall in her images to show how
women are being framed.
The way Sherman has responded to this piece to make it her own is by
including emotions such as; vulnerability, power and identity. This
image was taken in 1977 and at this time women were being shown in
the media as weak and unable to cope unless a man was around. The
women were seen as house wives and nothing else. For this response
both Sherman and Bacall are pictured in business attire to break the
stereotype.
The similarities of the image include; the location. They’ve both been placed at what appears to be a work
scene which I gathered from the background of the image. The gesture and expression that is given from the
way the models look is almost showing a disgust in the way they’ve been stereotyped.
16. SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
The idea of gender is known to be an important aspect to Sherman's work. This is
known because of the way she photographs herself in images appearing to be
male. The period of time when these photographs were taken, it wasn’t
acceptable to be out of the ordinary. People were seen and written about in a way
that they would be programmed the same. When Sherman broke the stereotype
it allowed people to feel like they were accepted, no matter what they wore, or
how they dressed. She allowed others to feel appreciated for what they wanted to
do, even if it was breaking the known stereotype of women having to be seen and
dressed this way, and men working and dressed like every other man.
GENDER FLUIDITY
This is defined as a person who dresses in clothes that are associated with
the opposite gender. The term cross-dresser is a more accepted term.
There is also transsexual and transgender:
A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not
correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth.
When someone is born, they're assigned as male or female but they may
identify as the other, or as neither (agender), both (bigender or
genderfluid), or other (genderqueer, pangender).
A transsexual follows along the lines of a transgender but is developed with
the idea of medical intervention being in place, such as hormones or
surgery. This will permanently transition the person from their assigned
gender to the one they want to identify as.
17. Androgyny is the
combination of masculine
and feminine
characteristics. Usually used
to describe characters or
people who have no specific
gender, gender ambiguity
may also be found in
fashion, gender identity,
sexual identity, or sexual
lifestyle.
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
ANDROGYNY
18. Helmut Newton and David Bowie were close friends through the 80’s working
together on many portraits of both David Bowie and his alter-ego, Ziggi Stardust.
In many ways, ‘Women into Man’ shows the influence of Bowie’s ‘Ziggi Stardust’
on Newton’s transgressive ideas of gender. The shoot for Vogue in 1976 -
Newton presents two women as a modern conception of femininity and
masculine at once through promiscuousness. The image is situated in a hotel
lobby. Newton plays with themes of self-control and the boundaries between
the public and private spheres. Much of Newton’s androgynous work featured
the clothes of Yves Saint Laurent, the designer whose career Newton helped to
launch.
This is a rare pre-1985 original vintage print produced in small numbers from a
series of transparencies that Newton considered his most provocative and
important work through 1985. Always unsigned, they were sent out to major
publications to stimulate interest in a photographer’s work. Most were
destroyed or written over, it is very rare to find them in immaculate condition.
This collection of vintage prints were gifted to Newton’s agent Norman Solomon,
in recognition of the work he had carried out in promoting Newton’s “Private
Property” series of exhibitions in 1985.
SHEMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
HELMUT NEWTON
Newton was working at the same time as Sherman therefore was aware of the
current issues around the idea of Gender and Androgyny. In both artists’ work you
can see the similarity of how they are showing a woman but to others is seen as a
man. This was done to show people that is was acceptable to do so.
19. These images show a clear
connection due to the way the
models have been captured in the
photograph.
Newton inspired Sherman to
capture herself like this to
represent the idea of fluid identity.
This photo is an addition to the
many guises of Cindy Sherman.
When these images were released they completely went against the
idea of what women should look like and how they are portrayed in the
media.
These images are both female, but were created to come across as male.
The idea of formal clothing, showing a business ‘man’ helps to persuade
the audience of what they're seeing being normal, until it is looked into
deeper.
The similarities within these images include; the attire of the model, the positioning of the models
face to enhance the idea of a structured face, like a male is said to have, the makeup used and the
gesture and expression the model is showing .
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
HELMUT NEWTON
20. The artist poses include
aristocrats, clergymen,
and milkmaids in the
manner of old master
paintings.
Sherman based her
‘Untitled #199-A' off
history portraits so show
how little has changed in
the world, when referring
to the idea of gender
fluidity and how it was
shown to people.
Sherman wanted to break
the stereotype and show
people the unexpected.
Cindy Sherman. 'Untitled
#199-A' 1989
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
History Portraits (1989–90)
21. Sherman's work mainly focuses on the idea of gender fluidity. This
term is described as a person whose gender identity is not fixed. It is
a nonbinary gender which is capable of changing over time.
People who identify themselves as gender fluid, which is a mix of
both genders, may feel more male on some days but then more
female on other days.
Some people identify themselves as genderqueer. This means they'd
prefer to be referred to as a masculine woman or a feminine man.
This term is linked to my related study because I'm exploring how
different people observe others in completely different ways. The
way I see and describe a female, someone may not consider correct
because their viewpoint and opinion is different. The same applies
for a male.
The idea of being gender fluid is key to Sherman as it is highly visual
in the images she produces when trying to break the stereotype.
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
History Portraits (1989–90)
22. The cover of the David Bowie record
Space Oddity
David Bowie as Aladdin Sane, 1973
David Bowie performs as ‘Thin White
Duke’, 1976.
Born 8th January, 1947 -
London
Died 10th January, 2016 – New
York
Age 69
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
BOWIE THE ORGINAL GENDER BENDER
David Bowie was a pop star who
became known in 1969 when his
first hit song ‘Space Oddity’ was
released. Bowie was also famous
for his acting skills shown in ‘The
Man Who Fell To Earth’ in 1976.
23. SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
BOWIE THE ORGINAL GENDER BENDER
In September, 1972, Bowies’ stunning costumes took
inspiration from Japanese theatre to interstellar sci-fi,
snarling guitars courtesy of Mick Ronson.
David Bowie was inspired by the jazz of the London West
End. In the late 60’s the young Bowie experimented with
mixed media, cinema, mime, Tibetan Buddhism, acting and
love. Bowie was always known to have a fierce and prolific
creative focus.
Bowie and Sherman show similarities through their
work by showing people power and doing what you
believe in. If both artists were to listen to everyone
surrounding them they would not have expressed
themselves the way they felt they wanted to.
I feel Bowie influenced Sherman by inspiring her to
carry on portraying her message of one person being
able to represent two genders.
24. When Bowie, a well known pop star, appeared as a sci-fi
character known as Ziggy Stardust, it was a shock to his
audience due to the way they’ve been programmed and
taught, to believe men can only dress in suits and come
across as business men. Bowie completely contrasted what
people knew to be the norm and was highly applauded for
doing so. For such a well known person to break a
stereotype, it had a huge effect on the audience of that
person. Bowie influenced people in a way to let them be who
they want to be, no matter what people said and thought.
There were comments about Bowie where critics would
mention “It shouldn’t be allowed”, but the real comment
should be “Why not?”
SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
BOWIE THE ORGINAL GENDER BENDER
25. SHERMAN & GENDER FLUIDITY
BOWIE THE ORGINAL GENDER BENDER
The resemblance that can be seen between
Sherman and Bowie is through the way they are
showing femininity but on a male. They are breaking
the stereotypes that have manipulated many people
from being themselves.
Both images here are
presenting Gender
Fluidity, as well as
Androgyny. These words
are shown through the
way the model has been
dressed and the makeup
that has been placed on
their faces.
Other artists Bowie has inspired include; Marilyn Manson, Lady Gaga and SIA.
27. Society is a key theme to Sherman's work because of the
way society affected and controlled everyone’s opinions
on what they should look like. Sherman believed she
could express herself as more than what she looked like,
which she proved through her images. She broke the
stereotype idea that everyone must look the same. Due
to this, Sherman took it to the extreme to get the
message across to her audience they can look and dress
how they feel comfortable. Whether it will be accepted
by society is a different question though. If someone was
to be seen differently to how people think they should
look, our society would not accept it due to it being
unordinary to them and inhumane.
SHERMAN
SUBVERSION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
28. Cindy Sherman. 'Untitled 2008
Larger-than-life society portraits (2008) that address the experience and representation of aging
in the context of contemporary obsessions with youth and status.
SHERMAN Society Portraits (2008)
SUBVERSION OF FEMALE STEREOTYPES
In this series of portraits the female
stereotype that Sherman is
adopting is the representation of
how the way people dress is viewed
and judged by others. The review
given on a persons outfit will
determine their class and wealth.
This work is putting across the
message that subversion of females
shouldn’t be done. Another reason
for Sherman looking fierce and
strong in these photographs.
29. Cindy Sherman. 'Untitled 2008
This key image chosen from Sherman's work shows a clear
representation of the woman who has been painted on the right. The
painted portrait is how women were described, and told to look if
they wanted to fit into the higher class. Being a part of the social high
class told others you were important and you were seen to be better
than anyone else.
These images show
similarities, such as; the
colours used in the clothing
chosen. Sherman has placed
a modern twist on her
photograph to show items
such as jewellery and include
a prop like a dog. The
expression on both women's
faces is seen as stern and
powerful.
SHERMAN Society & Historic Portraits
SUBVERTION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
30. ‘I want to enlist art to question
mythical explanations of
everyday life’
Martha Rosler
Due to Sherman being self-represented she bought women into a field
that was male dominant and encouraged other women to do the
same. One of those women was Martha Rosler.
SHERMAN & MARTHA ROSLER
SUBVERTION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
31. Rosler was born in 1943 in the United States. During the
1970’s she changed how photographic studies were
viewed whilst creating an influential social-
documentary through the media of photos.
Rosler has a photomontage series called “House
Beautiful: Bringing the War Home” which shows a visual
and intellectual clash between images from the
Vietnam conflict that were taken from newspapers and
magazines. This series helped show the visual display of
modern life in close proximity.
The idea of representing conflict in her work helped her
create “The Bowery in two inadequate descriptive
systems”. This was made in the 1970’s and 80’s. It once
again challenged the tradition of documentary
photography, by not displaying people as victims. Due
to Rosler having this comparison, she forced inadequate
words with pictures in order to bring together artists, as
well as critics.
SHERMAN & MARTHA ROSLER
SUBVERTION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUDzSDA8q0
"Semiotics of the Kitchen" (1975).
Semiotics of the Kitchen is a feminist parody video and
performance piece released in 1975 by Martha Rosler. The
video, which runs six minutes, is considered a critique of the
commodified versions of traditional women's roles in
modern society.
SHERMAN & MARTHA ROSLER
SUBVERTION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
In general Rosler's work is centred on everyday life and the public sphere, often with an eye to women's experiences. This
particular video, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975, is critiquing the role of women in the kitchen. It is described as a "cooking
show" with an attitude. At 4:56 the original video, that Martha Rosler made, begins. She starts by applying her apron and
telling people what it is. This blunt one word description follows when she picks up each individual item. There is no
expression on her face. The way she is placing down the items is showing carelessness. At this point Rosler seems clueless,
as it comes across that she is unable to form a sentence. Even though there is no food involved, she pretends to beat the
eggs in the bowl to release her fury. She lifts a fork and tells people what it is and follows with a stabbing motion with the
fork still in her hand. Rosler liked to not only tell people the names of the items but also how to use them. This was to make
it as simple as possible for people, in particular, females, to follow. The way she uses some items shows the anger she has
about the video she is making, and as the video progresses her frustration grows as she is using the kitchen tools as a way
of letting out her rage about the current issues of female stereotype. When showing how the items are used, she
exaggerates the action required for them to work, whilst keeping a straight face. The whole video follows a similar pattern
throughout, where she keeps a straight face, says the name of the tool and then performs an aggressive and exaggerated
action for it. Rosler then spells out the letters U V W X Y and Z to end the video but gives no reasoning behind it.
33. Rosler’s main work that links, as well as compliments Cindy Sherman, is “Body
Beautiful” and “Semiotics of the Kitchen”.
Both of these are connected to the idea of contemporary feminism with an
emphasis on the idea of gender stereotype. The artists both show their work as a
performance, rather than an essence.
Sherman and Rosler portray the same message to their audiences. They want
people to know its acceptable to be different. Sherman displays herself as multiple
characteristics which is going against the idea of everyone having to be seen as the
same.
In Roslers work there is a clear display of anger as makes a joke out of what people
believe to be correct just because of what they’ve been told.
Both artists want people to understand they can be who they want to be, no
matter the stereotype, no matter the gender.
SHERMAN & MARTHA ROSLER
SUBVERTION OF FEMALE STEROTYPES
35. IN CONCLUSION
Cindy Sherman's body of work revolves around the central theme of female identity and the way they're stereotyped. This is evident right from the
beginning of her career where Sherman displayed many characteristics through the series ‘Bus Riders’ by showing herself as others.
Today I feel society is social media obsessed, which results in a profound affect on woman. Peoples perception has been manipulated for the way they see
others compared to the was others should look. I feel everyone has multiple identities, one real life and one virtual.
In the postmodern era of the 1970’s, the way woman were portrayed was a global issue which Sherman then broke. She changed the stereotype of how
woman were seen and they way they were spoke about.
Towards the 1980s she displayed interpretive portraits of what was known as popular culture. Sherman made her body the focal point of images to
construct the viewers attention to a convection image which is normally shown in mass media and film work.
Due to the current social situation in 1970s, women were made to feel anxious, threaten, endangered and to appear as if they were struggling.
At this time Sherman’s Untitled Film Still’s, explored film icons of the 1930’s. These women, although glamourous wearing perfect clothes and the perfect
makeup, encouraged the stereotype of woman. The women Sherman depicted could also be seen as strong confident femme fatales. I think woman have
the ability to masquerade their true identity and hide away, but also give them power to stand up against the male dominated world. They felt as though
they couldn’t be who they wanted to be.
David Bowie and Sherman both inspired each other. Throughout Bowies career, specifically in the late 60’s and early 70’s, he inspired a generation of
people to express themselves in they way wanted to be seen. Bowie gender fluid characters broke the mould of how men could be seen, much like
Sherman’s depiction of men and women. The way that society shows people results in the way people control and manipulate themselves and their opinion
on others. People need to be aware that there's more to a person that is shown on the top layer. This could be a persons mask.
Sherman proved in her Bus Riders series that not everyone is the same that’s why she could be seen as so many characteristics therefore breaking the
stereotype and what's seen to be the norm. Sherman wanted to allow people to be accepted even if society describes it as the unordinary on inhumane.
The work of Sherman continued through to 2008 where she showed the awareness of the current affair which at that time was youth and status. The idea
of these words created her mimicking the history portraits that have been around since the 20th century.
Cindy Sherman has allowed woman to be placed in a male dominated field, as well as encourage others such as Martha Rosler who in 1975 made the
‘Semiotics of the kitchen’ and critiqued the tradition of woman's roles in modern society.
In summary, I have learnt from Sherman what it is was to make people aware of the complex nature of identities in society. People should feel it is
acceptable to challenge society’s perception of what women should look like. People can have multiple guises, just like Sherman has displayed in her series
of shoots. Not everyone should be programmed the same, nor should they be consumed by the lies of what social media is saying they should act, look or
feel. I think every human being is unique, and that should be celebrated, not changed.