Cindy Sherman is one of most controversial artists of modern times. She has earned acclamations and criticism for her works. Critics allege that her works are unnecessarily obscene while a number of people find her work inspiring, issue oriented and raising some relevant questions. This paper intends to discuss works of Cindy Sherman and further examines the allegations of obscenity in her works.
Majority of Cindy’s photographs are not obscene and even her critics accept this fact. Cindy Sherman, through her photographs and other mediums of expressions, raises the issues related to gender, female, sexuality, oppressions and desire. Cindy photographs express her ideas about the society and women in a very outspoken way. She does not hesitate in expressing her thoughts and does not care even if she has to portray nudity in order to raise some issues. Cindy is one of prominent feminist advocates who keep raising issues of women whenever they get a platform (Sherman).
Cindy is one of those artists who recognize the idea of abjection. Cindy has extensively used female body in her works to express what she thinks about women and what she wants to convey. Her images present different ideas and different messages for the viewers. She uses powerful psychological themes to express her rebellion ideas. Cindy appears to be breaking all traditional ideas and images of women and suggest women to do the same. Cindy, instead of portraying illusionary image of women in her photography, advocates for a realistic position for the women. She changes the ways but ideas remain the same and this trend is clearly visible in all of her artistic works.
Sherman was noticed in 1980s after coming with a number of untitled stills. Her work was recognized by art lovers across the America as there was something special in all photographs of Cindy. Cindy also brought her own photographs before the world and her camera work was appreciated by the people. She was the heroine of her own works and was recognized for this new innovative idea. She portrayed her own body and was interpreted differently by feminists, art lovers and other artists. She redefined photography when it was considered an area of men.
‘Phantasmagoria of the Female Body’ is one of most acclaimed works of Cindy Sherman. Cindy shares her ideas about her work in these words, “I wanted to make something which people could relate to without having read a book about it first. So that anybody off the street could appreciate it, even if they couldn’t fully understand it; they could still get something out of it” (Mulvey 65).
Through this picture, Cindy portrays and gives a new dimension and politics to the women body. Cindy has given women body a new recognition and she has empowered the women body against the perceptions of old times. Picture suggests that Cindy conveys viewers to stress on their minds and stirs them psychologically. Cindy, in this painting, portrays a woman who is busy with her thoughts without caring about anything. This photograph says a lot without using a single word. There is scope for readers and they may interpret the picture as per their ideas and thoughts.
During early 1980s Sherman was emerged as completely established artist on New York art scene with his series of unnamed stills from film. The concept of novel developed by Sherman was brilliant and grainy scenes of movies were amazing that have never been seen before. These shots and scenes in the movie created with flair and hope that audience would feel them (Sherman). Various professors of cultural studies were considered her. Few other artists accepted their disagreement very easily.
Sherman had taken her pictures which were nothing but only self-portraits. Pictures who were trapped in two fingers received wisdom that generally camera does not lie. However, her camera never spoken the truth. Sherman searched for her identity, power and weaknesses through her misleading actions. Feminists consider her as postmodernists, post-structuralists and after everything. Her art was considered as unclear and confusing by several critics. According to the critics her art is lacking any prescriptive. Sherman’s art work is always considered as vibrant pulp of thoughts (Sherman et al.).
Sherman during the year 1987 in Whitney Museum of American Art displayed her work. Sherman also displays her work in Saatchi Gallery of London. This was the time when art market was rippling because Saatchi Gallery decided to sell few post-modern and theoretical works so that Gallery can devote efforts to late modernism. This place was an indication of Sherman critical and economic standing. Sherman’s art is surely post-modern.
Sherman was not photographer; she was an artist who utilized photography in her work. Her work was formed around photographic representation of women. In all her work the women portrayed is Sherman; she was a model as well as artist. She displayed different poses body & facial expressions and gestures. Majority of her work is developed during 1977 to 1987 and in this time transformation was occurred (Sherman et al.). It seems that simple and easily accessible postmodern imitation went under significant transformation however, the work was accessible. Images developed by Sherman raised severe objections and challenges for modern feminist artist.
Cindy Sherman, in her untitled series of pictures, has created several pictures that reveal a lot about her ideas about women and tie liberty. Cindy has portrayed these pictures when she was not that famous but her pictures still suggest about her attitude and her opinion about the women and society. Cindy has portrayed several pictures and all of them are full of life. These colorful photographs represent the ideas of feminism that is one major theme of Cindy Sherman’s artistic works.
Self portraiture is something very new concept that has been gifted by Cindy to emerging artists. New artists get inspiration from her works and her pictures give the ideas about the role and importance of women in our society. Cindy has been suggesting the oppressions and sexual desires of women in very explicit way. She indicates that women should not compromise merely because they are physically weaker than men.
Critics allege obscenity in her works that was created by her in different phases of her life. Cindy has been creating such artistic works since the beginning of her career and continued to make such pictures in rest of her life. Cindy Sherman has been a known voice of feminist ideas and she keeps conveying the same through her pictures every when and then before the viewers.
Sherman seems inspired by the Sigmund Freud who in his essay, ‘The Uncanny’ discusses extensively about uncanny effects resulting out of reverberation of similar things. Freud in his essay discusses about human tendency and relates it to psychology in order to make it clear before the people. Freud relates individual behavior and social taboos and concludes that human beings are vulnerable of what others think about them. Repetition of similar things may occur in repulsive things that people would prefer to avoid (Freud).
Freud in his essay talks about human fantasies and desires in detail and then relates it with the human behavior. Freud focuses on totally different ideas to highlight his version. He talks about blinking eyes, speaking, breathings and moving of lips. Freud suggests that individuals have their ways to express their ideas and this has been in practice since time immemorial. This is one of oldest traits of human behavior but people have not observed the same with a different perspective (Freud).
Having observed the succinct analysis of the Cindy Sherman’s work and other related aspects, it can be concluded that Cindy has tried her best to raise the issues related to women, sexuality and desires. She expressed her views through her artistic works on several other issues also. She, in course of expressing her opinion, did not hesitate from portraying her views in a form which is termed as obscene by others. People have analyzed her works in different perspectives. Some find it very relevant and issue oriented on the other hand there are several people who recognize her words as obscene.
Works Cited
C. Sherman, E. Williams, G. C. Feleppa and Glenn Horowitz Bookseller. Early work of Cindy Sherman. USA: Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, 2000.
C. Sherman, L. Phillips, P. Schjeldahl, R. Smith and A. Grundberg. Cindy Sherman Centerfolds. New York: Skarstedt Fine Art, 2003.
Freud, Sigmund. The Uncanny. London: Penguin UK, 2003.
Mulvey, Laura. Fetishism and Curiosity. London: Indiana University Press, 1996.
Sherman, Cindy. Cindy Sherman: The Complete Untitled Film Stills. USA: The Museum of Modern Art, 2003.
