Subject:
A series of black and white photographs, Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills look similar to snapshots from 1950 B-Grade Hollywood Films. Untitled Film Still #48 seems to have spurned from a film set in the country, as indicated by the plaid skirt Sherman is wearing. Standing beneath an overcast sky, her hands behind her back, she looks vulnerable and defenceless. The dark shapes of the trees and the shadows over the road and in the background stand erect, dominating her. The vulnerability that Sherman exudes seems to indicate woman’s dependence on man, because although she seems unaware of any danger, the presence of a man in the picture would restore a sense of protection around her. This innocence is symbolised through the stark white shirt, and her light blonde hair in contrast to the dark background. Underneath the overcast sky with the looming landscape, her innocence shines like a light in the shadows, representing goodness in a dark world. A goodness that needs protection, so the wind does not blow it out. Sherman places herself so she is observed by the viewer, her face turned away from the camera, appearing unaware of the camera.
Technique:
Transforming herself into different characters using wigs, makeup and
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Indeed, these were what influenced Sherman to create the Film Stills series. Sherman was also influenced by the stereotypes of women as beheld by men. Her works comment on the “male gaze”; especially evident in classical art before the 19th century, women were never portrayed as different individuals, the focus was always on their roles or how men see them. According to society, women are either innocent, sexual or the mother. Sherman becomes each of these stereotypes many times. This causes her series to appear to mock male scrutiny, as she looks different in each photo, yet still seems to adhere to the stereotypes placed on