Art Review: Cindy Sherman @ Metro Pictures

Cindy Sherman, Nov. 15-Dec. 23
Metro Pictures
519 W. 24th St. New York, NY 10011

One of my biggest passions is modern art, and Cindy Sherman is one of my favorite post-modern artists. She is best known as a conceptual photographer, where she intills herself into high-concept photographs to call attention to the stereotypes women face in the eye of media- film, television, and print. It is her ability to manipulate every part of herself, from her weight to age to expression and be a performer in front of the camera is extraordinary and has drawn me to her work. She works by herself, acting as her own model, photographer, make up artist, and stylist, which makes all of her works that much more impressive. My favorite thing she's ever done is a series called the Untitled Film Stills, a series of black and white photographs in which she presents herself as an actress in various familiar scenes out of film noir, B-movies, and Hollywood films. Every film still looks oddly familiar, like images we've all seen a thousand times before, and it is this instant flicker of recognition that makes her work so poignant.

Right now, until the 23rd of December, the Metro Pictures Gallery in Chealsea has a Cindy Sherman exhibition that is worth checking out. In this series of portraits, she presents herself as heavily made up, heavily dressed up aging women, effectively calling into question ideas of self-awareness, beauty, and aging. It's really fascinating stuff, to see these giant portraits of Cindy posing as different women, every photograph overloaded with detail in every sense. And while you're at it, check out the multitude of other galleries that line 24th St. It's a great and cheap (i.e. FREE) way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.