Doll Clothes, Cindy Sherman. 1975. 

Upon a second visit to see the Cindy Sherman Retrospective at the MoMA this week, I discovered this delightful film and several photographic collages created early on in her career. They are obscure and less circulated than the Film Stills and other iconic images by Sherman, and so I wanted to share it with you all. Hope you enjoy!

Cindy Sherman at the MoMA

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending the event of the season: the opening reception of the Cindy Sherman Retrospective at MoMA. Amidst an impressive crowd, Cindy managed to be in every corner, haunting the walls with her penetrating stare and visceral costuming. 

Thirty-five years of self-portraiture inundates the walls of the exhibition, including small vintage black and white prints from her groundbreaking series, “Untitled Film Stills,” and pterodactyl-sized decals installed directly on the outer walls of the entrance to the show. Upon walking through the rooms, it is clear that Associate Curator Eva Respini carefully engineered the mood of each period of Sherman’s career.

One particularly engaging room has a salon presentation of Sherman’s more painterly works, adorned with regal gold frames and hung upon a maroon painted wall.  The effect is transportive; the viewer feels for a moment like they are in a Renaissance painting chamber.

Although Sherman’s art has been deemed painfully repetitive and self-indulgent by some, her prodigious influence in the field of photography and contemporary art is undeniable.   Walking through the massive installation, the viewer can watch Sherman grow as an artist before their very eyes, and feel compelled by the sheer historical importance of Sherman’s work.

Cindy Sherman
Museum of Modern Art
On View Through June 11, 2012

For More Information Visit: www.moma.org.