Untitled #122 1983

Cindy Sherman created the photographic artwork, Untitled #122 using photography. Sherman emerged as an artist during the Pictures Generation in the 1970s, a time when questions of representation and identity were being explored in contemporary art. In this image, Sherman stages herself in a severe black suit and messy blonde wig, obscuring her features. The photograph raises questions about the performance of identity, especially the construction of female roles. Sherman once said: "The point is not to illustrate some pre-existing idea, but rather to arrive at an idea." Here, Sherman is not simply representing a type, but actively creating a space to explore the tensions between visibility and concealment. The obscured face, the stark lighting, and the nondescript background create a sense of unease. The image embodies the emotional complexity of identity, reflecting how our personal narratives are both shaped and obscured by cultural expectations.