Exhibition Learning Notes: ‘Cindy Sherman. The Women’
Cindy Sherman, Untitled #566, 2016 © Cindy Sherman
Exhibition Learning Notes: ‘Cindy Sherman. The Women’
About Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman was born in 1954 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey; she lives and works in New York. Her ground-breaking photographs have interrogated themes around representation and identity in contemporary media for over four decades. Sherman first turned her attention to photography at Buffalo State College, where she studied art in the early 1970s, and came to prominence in the late 1970s with the Pictures Generation group.
Utilising makeup, costumery, prosthetics, theatrical effects, photographic techniques and digital technologies, she has channelled and reconstructed familiar persons known to the collective psyche -often in unsettling ways- and has explored the more grotesque aspects of humanity through the lens of horror and the abject. Her later series have also touched on issues from class to aging.
About the exhibition
Titled after Clare Boothe Luce’s 1936 play The Women, this exhibition brings together key works from Cindy Sherman’s career to explore the shifting representation of femininity. Juxtaposing her early portraits with large-scale portrayals of film stars, society women, and fashion icons from later series, the presentation highlights the evolving nature of female identity in visual culture. As the ideals of fame and celebrity have transitioned from Hollywood’s Golden Age to the digital era of influencers and social media, Sherman’s work continues to interrogate the constructs of gender, power, and privilege. Through meticulous self-transformation, she exposes the layers of performance and perception that shape the ways women are seen by others and see themselves.
What does the exhibition look like?
The exhibition includes her early work from a number of series including Bus Riders (1976 – 2000), Line Up (1977 – 2011), and Murder Mystery (1976 – 2000). These works mark a pivotal stage in Cindy Sherman’s exploration of identity and transformation. In these works, her focus is primarily on attire and pose, using distinct makeup, styling facial expressions to create fully formed alter egos. This early fascination with identity construction laid the foundation for her later practice, where she expanded her focus the figure to build environments unique to each character. These images highlight a key development in Sherman’s work—the transition from simple disguise to complex character building—offering insight into the evolving nature of her artistic approach.
Untitled Film Stills (1977–1980), Cindy Sherman’s only officially titled series and a landmark in her career. Created in response to the imagery of mass media and celebrity, these black-and-white photographs mimic the production stills used to promote films, drawing inspiration from 1950s and ’60s Hollywood, film noir, B movies, and European art-house cinema. Sherman appears in each image as a different character, placing herself in staged yet ambiguous narratives that suggest, but never fully reveal, a story. Beginning in her own living space with simple props, she later expanded to outdoor locations, broadening the range of identities and scenarios. Rather than recreating specific film scenes, Sherman evokes familiar cinematic tropes, encouraging viewers to project their own interpretations onto these constructed moments.
Society Portraits (2008) are presented, where Cindy Sherman explores aging, status, and societal pressures on wealthy women. Using digital technology and a green screen, she creates grandiose environments for these heavily made-up women, who strive to maintain youthful appearances despite the passing of time. Sherman captures the vulnerability beneath their polished exteriors, conveying the emotional costs of upholding social ideals. As Sherman states, ‘I think what I identified with is a sort of sadness behind their lavish homes and gardens. They’re putting up a good front to hide. I’m seeing what it’s cost them, and hopefully that comes through in the image’.
Ominous Landscapes (2010 – 2012) is a prime example of Cindy Sherman’s ongoing engagement with fashion throughout her career. This particular body of work was created after POP magazine commissioned her to create a special zine insert where she was granted access to Chanel’s archives. Wearing a mix of early couture pieces by Coco Chanel and more recent designs by Karl Lagerfeld, Sherman superimposed characters dressed in luxurious outfits against dramatic landscapes, including Iceland’s volcanic eruption and the Isle of Capri, creating a striking contrast between the lavish designs and bleak background. Sherman embraces an intentionally desolate landscape with unorthodox styling and poses to subvert the glossy and alluring imagery of fashion magazines, ultimately aiming to create photographs that challenge the false perfection of the fashion world.
Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #6, 1977 © Cindy Sherman
What inspires her work?
Cindy Sherman’s work is deeply influenced by the portrayal of women in television, film, and advertising. From an early age, she was drawn to the world of cinema, spending hours watching films on television. She described herself as a ‘child TV addict,’ captivated by the visual language of moving images. This fascination extended beyond the screen—Sherman played with dressing up, experimenting with second-hand clothes found in her home and sourced from thrift stores. These early experiences of transformation and role-playing became central to her artistic practice, where she explored identity and representation through photography.
Sherman’s work is shaped more by popular culture than traditional art history, though she does not dismiss its influence. She has stated that her photographs draw as much from television and magazines as from artistic traditions. By deconstructing familiar imagery—both from mass media and historical artworks—she reconstructs it in new ways, challenging conventional portrayals of women and revealing identity as fluid and performative.
How does she make her work?
Cindy Sherman creates her artworks independently, taking on every role, from photographer to makeup artist, hairdresser, stylist, and director. In her solitary studio practice, she develops characters using makeup, costumes, wigs, prosthetics, and props, testing ideas intuitively until a character emerges, which she then photographs. Sherman enhances her work by using digital technology to manipulate her appearance and create illusionistic backgrounds. By working alone, she challenges conventional image-making and offers a unique, powerful voice in contemporary art. Her decision to print images at a large-scale -which traditionally was pursued by mainly male artists, highlights her determination to break gener-norms within the art historical canon. As Sherman herself puts it, ‘I make very large works because men do it (even if they’re not that famous) and there aren’t many women who do it. So, I do.’
What are the major themes within the exhibition?
Identity
Cindy Sherman has always been deeply interested in experimenting with identity, using herself as a canvas to explore various personas. As she notes, ‘When I use myself, I can play so that every single picture is completely different,’ reflecting her ability to continuously reinvent her appearance. While femininity was understood as a cultural construct, a masquerade, Sherman’s photographs exemplify this idea by showcasing how identities are performed and manipulated. Known for her use of makeup, costumes, props, and prosthetics, Sherman creates complex and ambiguous images, often portraying fictitious characters in imaginary scenarios. The exhibition delves into the tension between façade and identity, highlighting Sherman’s exploration of gender and self-presentation through her transformative approach to photography.
Stereotypes
Sherman’s work challenges stereotypes and explores the diversity of human types by using theatrical effects to embody various roles, intentionally exposing the artificiality behind her transformations. Through makeup, costumes, and props, she highlights the constructed nature of identity, turning these fabrications into metaphors for how all identities are performed. Sherman fashions ambiguous but memorable characters that often embody and subvert stereotypes—such as the frazzled housewife, the aging socialite, or the femme fatale—suggesting complex lives that exist outside the frame. Her unsettling, visceral images confront viewers with the strange and ugly aspects of humanity, underscoring the tension between the fluidity and the static nature of identity.
Subjectivity and Ambiguity
Cindy Sherman’s decision to leave her works untitled invites a dynamic interaction between the viewer and the image, allowing for subjective interpretation and the development of personal narratives. By refusing to impose descriptive language or a specific storyline, Sherman empowers the audience to engage with her work on their own terms. As she explains, ‘I didn’t want people to have a preconceived notion of what they’re supposed to imagine this character to be,’ ensuring that each viewer can bring their own perspective to the piece. This ambiguity fosters a deeper connection with her work, where the lack of clear context encourages the exploration of multiple interpretations and the complexity of individual subjectivity.
Cindy Sherman, Untitled #550, 2010/2012 © Cindy Sherman
Making connections with Mika Rottenberg
‘The Women’ by Cindy Sherman at Hauser & Wirth Menorca are presented alongside Mika Rottenberg’s show ‘Vibrant Matter’ during the summer and autumn of 2025. In conjunction with these exhibitions, an Education Lab will explore the shared conceptual ground between the two artists.
Gender and female representation
Both Mika Rottenberg and Cindy Sherman explore identity, especially in relation to the body, gender, and social roles. Rottenberg, in her videos and installations, shows the body as a machine, shaped by work, environment, and global culture—often turning her characters into tools of production. Sherman, on the other hand, uses costumes and makeup to transform herself into different characters, showing that identity is not fixed but built through images and appearances.
Both artists use the human body as a key tool to explore representation, power, and gender stereotypes. While Rottenberg does not focus exclusively on gender, her videos often feature women with unconventional bodies and highlight power dynamics in female-dominated work environments, questioning production conditions and the value of labour, especially for women. Sherman, on the other hand, challenges female representation in media, film, and art history, using her own body as a canvas to analyse and deconstruct stereotypes.
Questioning of society and capitalism
Rottenberg and Sherman both question how society and capitalism affect people. Rottenberg focuses on how work can feel repetitive and dehumanizing, showing bodies as machines in a system that values production over people. Sherman, on the other hand, looks at beauty standards and social expectations, showing how the media shapes the way we see gender and identity.
Grotesque and exaggeration
Both artists use exaggeration and image manipulation to challenge the viewer’s perception. Rottenberg plays with the grotesque through humour and surrealism, creating installations with exaggerated bodies, bodily fluids, and absurd scenes that push the limits of materiality and industrial production. Sherman, on the other hand, uses costumes, prosthetics, and heavy makeup to transform herself into unsettling characters, creating exaggerated and distorted figures that challenge beauty standards and identity.
Conceptual and visual style
Mika Rottenberg and Cindy Sherman both use a strong conceptual and visual approach to explore contemporary culture, despite working in different mediums—video and installation for Rottenberg, and photography for Sherman. Rottenberg’s videos have a cinematic feel but follow a more cyclical and absurd narrative, where characters perform repetitive and surreal tasks. Sherman’s photographs also evoke cinema, with carefully staged characters and settings that look like scenes from a movie.
Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #24, 1978 © Cindy Sherman
Glossary
Ambiguity
The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.
Identity
The sense of who one is as an individual and/or in a group.
Narrative
A spoken, written or visual story that is made up of a sequence of events or experiences.
Photography
The art or practice of capturing images using light, typically through a camera, to create visual representations of the world.
Portraiture
The art of capturing a creative visual which focuses on the details of an individual.
Stereotype
An unfair generalization or a preconceived idea about a group of people.
Questions for Discussion
If you could transform the artwork into another genre—say, a photograph into an action painting or installation—how would you approach it? Would the essence of the piece remain intact in its new form?
Art is often steeped in narrative. Does the artwork tell a story? How would you interpret it? What’s your initial reaction to these characters? Who do you think they are, and what might their lives be like?
Consider how Cindy Sherman’s use of costumes, makeup, and props shapes the characters—do they seem authentic or exaggerated? How does the staged setup and manipulated backgrounds blur the line between reality and fiction?
How do these photographs make you think about the roles and stereotypes that women are often expected to play in society?
Cindy Sherman, Untitled (the actress at the murder scene), 1976/2000 © Cindy Sherman
Practical Activities
Create a Life Album by gathering old photos from different stages of your life. As you look at each image, reflect on how you’ve changed over time—physically, emotionally, and in terms of life experiences. Write a brief reflection next to each photo, noting what has evolved and how you perceive your past self compared to who you are today. Cindy Sherman once said, ‘It’s kind of an interesting thing to see yourself, to think that that’s really the same person now. It’s interesting to also see your evolution.’
Create a Portrait of a Collective Character by defining physical and psychological traits. Each participant will suggest one or two attributes. Use props, makeup, and body language to visually represent these traits, creating a shared portrait that reflects the character’s personality.
Create a Caricature of a Current Trend by exaggerating its most identifiable features. Focus on highlighting and distorting key elements to create a humorous or critical representation. Think about how satirists and caricaturists have historically used techniques like bold outlines, exaggerated proportions, and visual metaphors to emphasize certain aspects of their subjects. This activity invites you to parody a current trend, using those same visual tools to reflect on its impact or absurdities.
Capture an image, then create a title and invent a story to go along with it. Next, mix and match different photos and titles to see if they still fit together. Swap photos and titles with others, then compare in pairs or groups to explore how the new combinations change the stories. This activity encourages creativity in how we interpret images and words, highlighting how context and titles can dramatically shift meaning.
Supplementary Research
