What a treat to view Cindy Sherman’s genius in this MoMA retrospective. The 170 images cohesively highlight her career-long vision of reflecting society’s narrow ideas of identity at the viewer. Sherman’s lens exposes society’s perceptions and depictions in startling, poignant ways.
For 35 years, Sherman has played the role of model, stylist and director to create her mesmerizing self-portraits that explore every heavy theme out there: stereotype, artifice, grotesque, perception, gender and class to name a few.
This survey spans the mid-1970’s to present. I was pleased that my favorites, “Untitled Film Stills”, inspired by the stereotypical female roles in 1950s and 1960s films, feature prominently. I had never seen in person the appropriately ornate old master painting-inspired history portraits of aristrocrats and clergymen. I loved the enormous, spooky society portraits addressing the high value society places on youth and wealth; they were even more disturbing than the clown and horror collections.
If you’re in New York, this is an exhibit worth seeing. Make sure to arrive early; the lines at MoMA are killer.
Through June 11, 2012, The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street New York, NY
Cindy Sherman, MoMA, contemporary art, Manhattan, New York City, New York
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