Untitled Film Still #3 1977

Cindy Sherman made this Untitled Film Still #3, using a camera to explore ideas about identity and representation. The photo uses black and white to create a very particular mood. It feels kind of like a still from an old movie, right? But it's also interesting how Sherman plays with the idea of performance. She's not just taking a picture, she's creating a character, and the way the light falls across her face and body seems very studied. It's like she's both the artist and the subject, and it makes you wonder about the whole process of making art. Look at her face. There's something about the expression that makes you feel like you know her, even though you don't. And maybe that's the point. Sherman is showing us how we're all performing in some way, all the time. This reminds me of other artists who are interested in identity and performance like Adrian Piper. They both kind of mess with our heads in a way that's both unsettling and really exciting.