Untitled Film Still #5 1977

Cindy Sherman created this black and white photograph as part of her "Untitled Film Still" series, which began in the late 1970s. Sherman, acting as photographer and subject, embodies a range of female stereotypes drawn from cinema, television, and popular culture. She explores the complex construction of identity, particularly female identity, as mediated through visual culture. In this image, the woman holds a letter. Her face, frozen in an expression of mixed surprise and worry, and her carefully styled hair and makeup are all designed to create a recognizable character. The series as a whole acts as a critique of the limited roles available to women in the media. Sherman has said, "I wanted to make pictures that felt very complete, but were still open-ended enough to allow viewers to fill in the gaps." Consider how Sherman uses familiar imagery to challenge traditional representations and open up new possibilities for understanding the complexities of female identity.