Untitled Film Still #54

This photograph belongs to the series Untitled Film Stills, Cindy Sherman's renowned work from 1977-1980. The picture is a single exposure, a black and white image which appears as if it was taken directly from a film shot during the 1950s. In fact, the photograph is based on a stereotype often shown in films made during this period. It stimulates a sense of recognition in the beholder. The mood generated from the photograph draws on the audience's collective memory from such films. This particular photograph shows a vulnerable film noir type. The image invites the viewer to create his own story or interpretation. The series Untitled Film Stills has come to symbolize postmodernist art. These photographs are always based on Sherman herself and work with the possibilities of shifting identities. Sherman acts as an impersonator of stars and characters and functions as a director of film genres. The series questions notions of authorship and originality.