Untitled #92 (Centerfold) 1981

This is Cindy Sherman’s ‘Untitled #92 (Centerfold)’, part of a series of photographs she did where she plays with the conventions of portraiture and the male gaze. It's really all about process: Sherman puts herself in the picture, staging scenes that feel both intimate and strangely detached. What strikes me is the use of lighting, it’s almost theatrical. Notice how the darkness contrasts sharply with the light on her face, creating a sense of vulnerability. Her hands are pressed against the ground, fingers spread, as if she’s trying to anchor herself. Those hands tell a story, they’re almost pleading. It makes me think of Nan Goldin, another photographer who isn't afraid to explore the complexities of identity and emotion. Sherman's work, like Goldin's, invites us to question what we think we know about ourselves and each other. Art should never give us easy answers; it should always leave room for interpretation.