Cindy Sherman

Overview

Modern portrait photography and Cindy Sherman go hand in hand. No, you won't spot any quickly snapped iPhone pics in her portfolio. Since the 1970s, the New York-based artist has revolutionised the concept of photographic representation.

Her photos don't just provide a likeness of a particular person, typically played by Sherman herself; they offer striking character studies that exaggerate and interrogate perceptions of identity. Working alone in her studio, Sherman experiments with costumes, prosthetics, makeup and digital photography to embellish and manipulate the type of images that no one else could create.

It's little wonder, then, that the photographer has become a global phenomenon — and just as unsurprising that the Gallery of Modern Art has sourced more than 50 large-scale pieces to mount the first major Australian solo exhibition of Sherman's work in more than 15 years. Everything from her famous 'head shots' series to her collaborations with Balenciaga and Chanel from part of the hefty exhibition, as does a sizeable program of events and talks that will help audiences to get to the heart of this unique artist and her stereotype-busting ideas.

Image: Cindy Sherman / Untitled #466 2008 / Image courtesy: The artist and Metro Pictures, New York / © The artist