I chose to research and observe ‘ Shrinking violet’ by Shannon O’ Donnell expressing female expectations around the house, and the traditional role of women. These photos surround the theme of feminism and the inspiration from her mother. From what I take from this, she decided to take her images of herself on her own, similarly to Sherman’s work, she stood the camera up and posed with the correct props and clothing such as kitchenware and a dress and heels. Although the subject is expressing and revealing herself as being the traditional role in the house like a housewife, O’ Donnell making it look like she took these herself in her house creates an element of independency which clearly differs to the key stereotypical features of a woman.

The photographer is Shannon O’Donnell who was inspired by her project of making a film of her mother, including documenting her daily life and her mothers role in the household. One of her main elements was to obtain sarcasm whilst mimicking the traditional housewife stereotype as gender defines everyone and at her belief, can be limiting at times. Her approach to image-making was to stage craft them herself and pose herself. The audience I would say is too target women specifically as it may motivate women who face inequality to this day and definitely expresses a narrative surrounding the theme of women. However, she was massively inspired by Cindy Sherman’s book ‘Retrospective’. Her collection ‘retrospective’ is at the Museum of Modern Art. For a time Cindy Sherman, Troy Brauntuch, Jack Goldstein, Sherrie Levine, and Robert Longo shared a Soho gallery. Did they ignite “The Pictures Generation”? Recalling a long tradition of self-portraiture and theatrical role-playing in art, Sherman utilises the camera and the various tools of the everyday cinema, such as makeup, costumes, and stage scenery, to recreate common illusions, or iconic “snapshots,” that signify various concepts of public celebrity, self-confidence, sexual adventure, entertainment, and other socially sanctioned, existential conditions. As though they constituted only a first premise, however, these images promptly begin to unravel in various ways that suggest how self-identity is often an unstable compromise between social dictates and personal intention.

Cindy Sherman is a contemporary master of socially critical photography. She is a key figure of the “Pictures generation,” a loose circle of American artists who came to artistic maturity and critical recognition during the early 1980s, a period notable for the rapid and widespread proliferation of mass media imagery. At first painting in a super-realist style in art school during the aftermath of American Feminism, Sherman turned to photography toward the end of the 1970s in order to explore a wide range of common female social roles, or personas. Sherman sought to call into question the seductive and often oppressive influence of mass-media over our individual and collective identities. Turning the camera on herself in a game of extended role-playing of fantasy Hollywood, fashion, mass advertising, and “girl-next-door” roles and poses, Sherman ultimately called her audience’s attention to the powerful machinery and make-up that lay behind the countless images circulating in an incessantly public, “plugged in” culture. Sexual desire and domination, the fashioning of self-identity as mass deception, these are among the unsettling subjects lying behind Sherman’s extensive series of self-portraiture in various guises. Sherman’s work is central in the era of intense consumerism and image proliferation at the close of the 20th century.

Maturing in the 1970s in the midst of the American Womens’ Movement, later known as the rise of Feminism, Sherman and her generation learned to see through mass media cliches and appropriate them in a satirical and ironic manner that made viewers self conscious about how artificial and highly constructed “female portraiture” could prove on close inspection.

Some critics criticize Sherman’s Film Stills for catering to the male gaze and perpetuating the objectification of women. Others, understand Sherman’s approach as critically-ironic parody of female stereotypes. Others still, assert that both cases are simultaneously true, with Sherman knowingly taking on stereotypical female roles in order to question their pervasiveness. At the same time her adoption of these roles inevitably leads her to be objectified further.

However, Sherman claims not to be a feminist which slightly changes the narrative.

“The work is what it is and hopefully it’s seen as feminist work, or feminist-advised work, but I’m not going to go around espousing theoretical bullshit about feminist stuff.”

This slightly changes the narrative as it forces viewers to question, what was the purpose? and who was the audience targeted? Sherman’s photography is a depiction of the different ways culture defines “woman.” Her art plays on the feminist idea that gender arises exclusively within culture and deconstructs dominant gender ideologies, representing the underside of popular culture’s definition of “woman.”

Sherman recognizes those fixed identity concepts surrounding women, and she parodies the construction process and form of these symbolic myths, suggesting the possibility of women’s self-authorization in reality.

I personally like how it is a paper back however I prefer Shannon’s ‘ Shrinking violet’ being a hard back as it is more aesthetically pleasing. Sherman’s book is A4 where as Shannon’s is landscape, Sherman’s being portrait. Based off my images, I would typically decide portrait. Sherman’s book has 219 pages with lots of different collections. A lot of her images are in black and white, however her more modern images are in colour and are more unique ” Deconstructing a woman”. Whereas, Shannon’s are all in black and white. Shannon’s title being ‘Shrinking violet’ is rather poetic whereas Sherman’s is purely factual and based off her. I personally rather poetic titles as every individual can interpret it differently to them.

Both books effectively show a narrative and successful story telling within the same theme of women. Overall, they are very similar but at the same time different.

Reasoning

My objective was to take images of women of culture working, or women working to portray the growth women fought for, for equal legalisation, pay and educational rights. Showing this, will also suggest racial growth. I aim to execute this photoshoot naturally in Barbados, and successfully show the culture of the working class locals.

This photoshoot differs to my other photoshoots as my 1st and 2nd wave photoshoot was carefully thought out, planned, used props and was staged. This linked more to Cindy Sherman as she liked staging photoshoots meanwhile making it look natural. This contrasts significantly to this photoshoot as this one relates more to the ‘ decisive moment’ as it is natural and real. I hope that my editing skills can attempt to make it look more vintage as this is suppose to aim around the 1990’s.

STAGES-

Firstly, I began to pick out the images I preferred the most by either flagging or accepting them to make it more efficient when it comes to editing the images I like. The main factors I took into account when viewing and choosing these images was very much lighting, as it was outdoors and difficult to find the correct exposure and where to stand, how realistic and natural the subject looked as she was aware I was taking these images which brings the subject to behave or change her mannerisms. Finally, I kept an eye out for background factors such as people or unwanted drinks which I definitely took into consideration. If this was the case, I could attempt to erase them in Lightroom. Not only this, I could crop my images to make sure every background or foreground element that is wanted and significant is in the frame and vice versa.

Editing

Overall

Some reasons why I like this photoshoot is because it involves racial features and growth, not only gender. I chose to do this photoshoot to emphasize successfully the rights women fought for, especially how black women struggled to gain the same legal rights. In this photoshoot, it represents culture and reveals women working as bartenders. Women working whilst gaining the same pay and recognition truly inspires me. However, I soon realised that it differs from the pattern of the rest of my photoshoot, such as posed and staged photos. Therefore, I learnt that I would like to take a different approach for my third photoshoot showing domestic abuse instead. I chose this theme as it was a major factor in the third wave feminist movement. Instead, I will take photos of my subject with bruises, linking more to Nan Goldin’s work as she experienced similar situations. I believe this will flow more seamlessly in my photobook as it will obtain throughout the same sort of images such as staging, posing etc. Not only this, they will obtain the same person which I believe will show more of a significant growth. However, I do not believe these photoshoots were a waste of time, as they show the theme of racial equality and I learnt more about lightings etc.

Essay Plan
Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure

• Essay question:

How is the work of Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin questioning the politics of gender and female stereotypes?

• Opening quote

“In the past, photographs of women were made by men for a capitalist economy to favour the male gaze and feed female competitiveness” By Charlotte Jansen.

or

“No genuine social revolution can be accomplished by the male” by Valerie Solanas.

The word ‘Feminist’ is often misinterpreted. Somehow the adjective advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights between women and men, has been constructed into ‘man hater’. My area of study is female stenotypes and how they differ through the years, however my argument is whether female stereotypes are formed by men in a patriarchal society. Initially, stereotypes are inevitable in society as they are a social norm. Unconsciously as humans we make stereotypes, the first reference to stereotype in English was in 1850, as a noun that meant ‘image perpetuated without change’. This predominately suggests the growth women fought for during the feminist movements as their stereotypes changed successfully. However, my other side of my study is that stereotypes for females were caused by inequalities due to a male dominated society as it caused hierarchies. This is because of expectations men have on of women from the beginning such as the traditional housewife and their role to serve men. The artists I have chosen to study are Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin as I believe they effectively portray gender politics and stereotypes. Sherman executed this through dressing up, posing and photographing her self in different scenarios. Sherman effectively critiques the way women are portrayed in popular media, such as film, television and magazines. These images challenge the viewer to question their preconceived notions about identity and the roles society imposes upon women. At first, she photographs herself playing a traditional role men expected women to be, such as a housewife. Not only this, she photographed others and herself suggesting their struggle with their own identity. Nan Goldin, she expresses her view on stereotypes through a different sense. Goldin expressed her experience on domestic abuse during a relationship by photographing her own wounds for of female empowerment. This makes me think about the key features of stereotypes such as strong vs weak. For example, her image that stood out to me the most ‘Buzz and Nan at the Afterhours, New York City1980′ represented male roles such as dominant and confident in contrast to naïve and vulnerable as women. However, I was mostly inspired by her New York city night club and bar photographs as it expressed intimacy, the isolation of abuse and hierarchy.

I will be responding to both of their work by including all of my inspiration from these artists and putting it in an order of a time line, specifically to the feminist movement waves and how the stereotypes changed through each wave, from the first to the fourth. My first wave photoshoot, my main inspiration is Cindy Sherman and my intention is to express the ‘traditional housewife’ stereotype. This is aimed to focus around early 20th century. The second wave photoshoot is to express more independence but the focus being educational rights, remaining inspired by Sherman. Next, the third wave photoshoot is focused around domestic abuse, heavily inspired by Nan Goldin mixed with Sherman. This is aimed around the 1990’s to the present. Lastly, my photoshoot for the fourth wave is to focus on the expectations on women due to social media. This is focused around the present and what teenagers go through my age, based off personal experience.

• Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. 
• Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
• Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
• Bibliography: List all relevant sources used

Literary sources/ key text

THEORY: LITERARY SOURCES

Reasoning

My intent and reasoning of these images was to represent the educational rights women gained during the 1960’s and 70’s which was focused on equality.  The second wave fought for the right for women to have access to an equal opportunity in the workforce, as well as the end of legal sex discrimination. Feminists worked for the Equal Rights Amendment, the Equal Pay Act, the addition of sex discrimination to the Civil Rights Act, and other laws that would guarantee equality. Therefore, my way of presenting this stereotype is through a female getting books from a shelf to suggest women’s educational rights. I was inspired by Cindy Sherman’s famous image whilst she was presenting the deconstruction of stereotypes during this time period.

An essential factor that stood out to me effectively was her clothing. Sherman’s clothing is still slightly dressed up however it is a half body shot stopping the sexualized stereotype, as this was reduced after the traditional house wife stereotype. Therefore, for my images I dressed my subject up in a fairly vintage aesthetic outfit but with less of a sexual element to it.

Editing

After these images, I decided to experiment with a change of props and using the mirror to show the reflection as I thought it made the image more significant and eye catching.

Overall–

Overall, I changed my angles to experiment and realised I preferred the image with the mirror within the frame. I made sure to keep my subject obtaining the female gaze as I personally believe it is a significant factor to add to my images. The type of clothing my subject is wearing is suppose to signify a slight sense of independence. This is because of the hat and white flowy dress as it portrays her personality rather than restrictions or impressing males. I experimented in black and white and colour, to learn to see what I preferred most which was black and white as I plan all my images to be in black and white apart from my 4th photoshoot including the 4th wave feminism. The reasoning of this being my plan, is that all three photoshoots are signifying the past which I believe black and white will emphasize this. The last photoshoot (4th wave) is to signify more of a present element to it as a young women, which I think is still relevant now. Fourth-wave feminism, is a feminist movement hat began around the early 2010s and is characterized by a focus on the empowerment of women, the use of internet tools, and intersectionality. The fourth wave seeks greater gender equality by focusing on gendered norms and the marginalization of women in society. Fourth-wave feminism focuses on sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence, the objectification of women, and sexism in the workplace. Therefore, within these images I lowered the exposure to create the right amount of exposure to make the door way darker to add a mysterious element. To emphasize this, I increased the blacks and shadows but to keep the subject the main focus I would increase the whites. The bookshelf is to represent the educational rights women fought for in the second wave feminist movement. The mirror is to portray an element of identity which women struggle to find in an oppressive society. However, this slightly contrasts to the clothing involved as the clothing is to signify a little more of independence as it has a growth than the ‘ traditional housewife’. The heavy makeup and and red lip is to represent a factor of women still feeling the pressure too do certain things for men in this patriarchal society. The red lip is to signify a bold and confident factor as from its early use by prostitutes in ancient Greece to a symbol of glamor in Hollywood, rouge lips has long been associated with beauty, power, and rebellion. Rouge lips have served as a symbol of power, rebellion, and femininity throughout history, from ancient civilizations to modern-day movements. This ensures the sexualised element to my first photoshoot is still obtained, which is definitely impactful and significant as women still faced this stereotype during the 60’s and 70’s. Lastly , I decided to decrease the texture as women were stereotypically to be seen as ‘ perfect’ which significantly links to my 4th photoshoot because of the rise of social media and pressures on women.

STAGES

Filtering

Firstly, I began by rating all my images from 0-5 and either flagging or rejecting them. The main factors I took into account was lighting, posing, surroundings/props, and the gaze my subject executed. Some images had unwanted kitchenware or other things that were potentially taking the attention away from the main factor of the image, therefore I went through and cropped them to my preference before editing.

After doing this, I filtered my images and ignored the ones I rejected so I knew the most efficient way to edit the ones I preferred.

Editing

I knew before editing, my objective was to put them all in black and white due to being inspired by Sherman. Not only because of my inspiration, I also think it creates a vintage aesthetic which is my aim as I am aiming to aim in the time period of the 1950’s as this was when the traditional housewife stereotype began as well as educational rights. Therefore, using black and white and heavy grain age should signify this time period. As well as this, I hope to decrease the texture level to make the subject more or less of the stereotypical ‘ perfection’ as this is what women were expected to be.

Experimenting in B&W

Within this image, there was a camera in the frame which I felt ruined the image. Therefore, I used an AI tool to get rid of that item to benefit my image.

Overall-

Overall, within my editing I chose to experiment and variate my images through colour and black and white. However, my main objective ultimately is to create a theme of a vintage aesthetic, specifically targeting the 1950’s stereotype and first wave feminism. Because of this, I mostly decreased the exposure and increased the contrast but mostly experimented with each image to what fitted each image best. This is because there are different settings and lighting which definitely impacts an image. Although, mostly I preferred my images in black and white as I personally think they look better, especially with the images of my subject on the bed as the clothing and the bed sheets I feel clash. Moreover, I did not put every image in black and white however similarly I put every image with a heavy grain as I felt as if it successfully fitted the theme of my images. If needed, I edited objects out as well as putting props in when I originally took this photoshoot. I used certain props to emphasize the ‘traditional stereotype’ such as hair rollers, apron, black high heels, a lot of jewellery, a heavy amount of makeup and pearls. One of the reasons pearls have become such an iconic symbol of style and elegance is their association with some of Hollywood’s most famous actresses. From Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly, pearls have been a staple accessory for many of the most famous leading ladies in film history. These images are definitely suppose to look staged and thought out, which I believe the props did successfully.

What I want to explore:

My intention is to explore the major social issues within gender, specifically women. I want to explore the themes of misogyny and stereotypes mainly, but also patriarchy, expectations of women and power dynamics while executing the female gaze. I want to execute the change of stereotypes throughout the years and the growth through each factor of the feminism waves.

Why it matters to me:

I would say, this topic matters to me because I realise as a female that women like Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin portrayed the social issues within gender in the 1970’s but Sherman was portraying the traditional stereotype in the 1950’s. This is important to me because, although stereotypes have changed in a way, women are still expected to be a certain way even in the 21st century. This subject matters to me as there is still a significant power dynamics within gender. Women feel the pressure a lot more than men within beauty standards, and feeling the need to be a service to men still to this day, especially including the change in beauty expectations throughout the years.

How I wish to develop your project:

I wish to develop my project by taking images fitting the traditional stereotype similar to Cindy Sherman in the kitchen and other traditional settings. For example, I plan to take images of a female dressed up for the man meanwhile doing household work for the man. Within Cindy Sherman’s images she uses the female gaze which is a very important element that sticks out to me. This is because the ‘ female gaze’ adds a slight sexual and objectification element to her images which is to present the representations of a woman. To emphasize this, she uses a heavy amount of eye makeup so it cannot be missed. Sherman focuses on to ‘ Deconstruct a woman’. Sherman’s objective really stood out to me as she is attempting to deconstruct and portray how woman really felt in the 50’s. Not only this, posing is a very important factor such as possibly doing poses to show an element of motherhood and nurturing which is a typical stereotype of women. To develop my project, I will also be purposely setting up props such as kitchenware to emphasize my images like Sherman. However, I also plan to take images next to a book shelf like Sherman as this links to the second wave feminism as women were not seen to be educated. Instead they were only seen to be a nurturing mother and look after the household. Overall, in my opinion setting is almost the most important factor and will be very thought through as I personally believe it is what makes the image understandable. I plan to successfully execute this through using props etc and placing them in the correct areas to make the image the most interesting and eye catching.

Which form I wish to present your study (photobook, film, prints etc)

I wish to present my study in a photobook, I think this will suit my project best as I want to present the different types of traditional stereotypes in different settings, clothing etc which I can execute as my images are purposely suppose to look planned and thought out, rather than natural. This takes the sense of reality away which is what I aim to do so. In my photobook, I wish to show the different stereotypes throughout the years. My first set of images would start around the 1950’s and end in modern days around this century. This would mean I would be able to show the growth in stereotypes women face which is relevant as second-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades, ending with the feminist sex wars in the early 1980s and being replaced by third-wave feminism in the early 1990s. Therefore, the traditional ‘housewife’ stereotype has significantly changed throughout the years yet there are still expectations. This stands out to me and I wish to show this change successfully as you turn the pages.

When and where you intend to begin your study?

1st wave-

I aim to begin this study this week in my household or in a library. This is to purposely signify the 1st wave of feminism which was the suffrage movement aiming for voting and equal rights. I aim to take some images of the subject picking out a book from a bookshelf, portraying the female gaze. The reason this is my idea I wish to execute is because this makes me think of women gaining the rights of education and voting. This links to the Cindy Sherman concept of ‘ Deconstructing a woman’ as it was a typical stereotype that women should not be educated, and were only needed for motherhood and for the male in the looked after household. This is the starting point as this was in the late 19th century to early 20th century. The first ever movement females had gained. The female gaze is suppose to add a significant photography feature as the purpose of the ‘female gaze’ becomes to connect with the female viewer via the female creator, coming together in a way that serves them, and upholding the idea that women are powerful and can control their own destiny. That is why one of the most notable differences between the male and the female gaze is intent. First-wave feminists argued that women were only “inferior” because of their inferior education. If they were educated at the same level and to the same standards as men, they would be able to exercise their reason at the same level as well, and would hence deserve to be treated as full equals by the law. This is why I think my images will be relevant to this timeline.

2nd wave–

My objective within the second wave is to take images in my kitchen, with the subject female dressed up for the male in the ‘household’. This is because this portrays a factor of the power dynamics within gender. Because of this, I aim to portray the ‘traditional housewife’ as this stereotype began in the 2nd wave. To do this successfully, I aim to have my subject in the kitchen doing chores, such as cleaning and cooking. Things to emphasize this could be the subject in an apron, hair rollers, heels and a significant amount of makeup to portray the female gaze. Another factor that I was inspired by was Cindy Sherman’s posing such as her arm around her lower tummy. This signifies the nurturing mother stereotype as well.

3rd wave–

My objective within this photoshoot is too take images of a women of colour with more freedom such as in a club, party etc. This is because I was also inspired by Nan Goldin’s work which she still portrays an element of feminism yet a lot of her work is not entirely focused on it. She has this famous image in a nightclub during the 80’s.

Therefore, I will take images of a woman of colour potentially drinking or at a free place because it represents the growth in equality within woman. I hope to keep the subject formal and feminine such as dressing her such as a long dress and potentially heels and heavy makeup meanwhile maintaining the theme of the female gaze. The third wave of feminism, which began in the mid-1990s, is generally regarded as more inclusive of women of colour than previous waves and is credited with bringing the notion of intersectionality to the forefront of mainstream feminist activism. The third wave broadened the agenda of women of colour so I am to merge Cindy Sherman’s and Nan Goldin’s work to make my own pieces.

4th wave–

Within this photoshoot, my main aim is to take images of a female looking at the expectations within social media or comparing herself to social media in the mirror. I am inspired by Cindy Sherman in these images

I think these photos have such an impactful message which I am mine to do so too. I aim to take images mainly in a mirror of a woman doing ‘stereotypical’ things such as makeup and crying as a women are seen as sensitive. However, at the same time I aim to show the impact of social media and although it signifies the freedom and equality rights of women, it has a very impact of teenagers and even women. This will be aimed for 2010’s to 2024 which is the present. Not only this, I will make my subject to dress up to still show the feminine side and how the dressing up from the man in the household has switched to social media. I think this will successfully show the growth and impact of feminism and I aim to put it in order in my book to emphasize it. All my images I am to be mirrors and staged as I think this will suit my ideas the best.

Linking to Cindy Sherman– Plan

My photoshoot plan is to focus on stereotypes, gender roles, feminism, misogyny, expectations of women, patriarchy, female gaze and power dynamics. My main objective is to focus on social issues within women. My plan is to make similar images of Cindy Sherman such as some images looking as if the subject has taken the images herself and set them up but also varying them by some images being taken of the subject by another person. Or potentially I could get some images setting it up, giving the illusion that I took it of my self but in reality another person helped. This is what I assume when it comes to Sherman’s famous images. Such as this image,

My aim within themes

My main objective is to portray the theme of the stereotypical traditional housewife, such as being a service to men. My aim is to suggest the themes of women looking after the household, uneducated, nurturing motherhood and seen sexually. The way I want to execute this is through similar posing such as a hand on the lower stomach, suggesting nurturing motherhood/ Another example would be heavy eye makeup emphasizing the female gaze. The purpose of the ‘female gaze’ becomes to connect with the female viewer via the female creator, coming together in a way that serves them, and upholding the idea that women are powerful and can control their own destiny. That is why one of the most notable differences between the male and the female gaze is intent. The setting up of the camera is a very important factor as it gives the illusion of her taking it off herself. Not only this, the saucepan is pointing at her breasts which adds a sexual and objectification element to her images, which she executed purposely. I will also attempt to take more images of Sherman’s but overall attempting to portray these important themes such as Sherman suggesting the representations of women.

Representations of women

All of these images have different representations of women, and the traditional stereotypes in the 1970’s which was when Sherman began to take these. Sherman uses black and white which I personally like as it suggests an older aesthetic. Therefore, within my plan I aim to make it have more of an older aesthetic like Sherman’s such as experimenting through black and white filters, heavy or light grain or other effects and decide which one works best with my modernity images attempting to make them traditional.

Mood board of her work

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills comprises of over seventy black and white photographs made between 1977 and 1980. When thinking about this series, some aspects of her entire body of work immediately come to mind: disguise and theatricality, mystery and voyeurism, melancholy and vulnerability. The artist initially started these series in her apartment, using her own interior as setting for the scenes. Soon however, she moved her camera and props outside and shot in urban and rural landscapes as well, requiring a second person to assist her in taking the photograph. The artist Robert Longo, with whom she lived at that time, assisted her for a while, as well as her father, other family members, and friends.

What is Cindy Sherman’s message?

Sexual desire and domination, the fashioning of self-identity as mass deception, these are among the unsettling subjects lying behind Sherman’s extensive series of self-portraiture in various guises. Sherman’s work is central in the era of intense consumerism and image proliferation at the close of the 20th century.

Deconstructing “Woman”

Started when she was only 23, these images rely on female characters (and caricatures) such as the jaded seductress, the unhappy housewife, the jilted lover and the vulnerable naif. Sherman used cinematic conventions to structure these photographs: they recall the film stills used to promote movies, from which the series takes its title. The 70 Film Stills immediately became flashpoints for conversations about feminism, postmodernism, and representation, and they remain her best-known works.

Sherman is able to change her identity by adopting performative behaviours that have come to define femininity. Through the photographic series I have examined, Sherman’s photographs visually describe the feminist social constructionist argument that there is no natural identity behind the mask of gender. Women affirm their gender identity through performative behaviour; gender is constituted through the ongoing and repetitive assemblage of female representations depicted in culture. These behaviours position the male as a spectator, fixing his gaze on the sexualized female. Sherman’s photography is a depiction of the different ways culture defines “woman.” Her art plays on the feminist idea that gender arises exclusively within culture and deconstructs dominant gender ideologies, representing the underside of popular culture’s definition of “woman.” She exposes the arbitrariness of performativity and presents a variety of female identities that are found within popular culture, and reveals that these are nothing more than constructions. Behind each character there is no central identity. Each is a series of manipulations according to cultural conventions. There is no essential femininity; the whole self is an imaginary construct that can be changed through performativity.

The series features Sherman posing as various female stereotypes from generic black and white Hollywood B films of the 1950s. She is unrecognizable from one photo to the next, changing her appearance as she tackles the different identities, each an illustration of a cultural representation of women. Sherman plays the role of a young woman studying her own reflection. The photo visually portrays a woman assembling her identity, caught in the act of construction. It implies the lack of a fixed identity. Though Sherman is both the woman in front of the lens and behind it, she appears masked through make-up and costume, disguised to resemble familiar female stereotypes; her women are images of women, “models of femininity projected by the media to encourage imitation and identification” As in her other works, Sherman adopts the format of stereotypical female roles. However, her characters are unlike those found in magazines. “Instead these women suggest awkward adolescents or young women uncomfortable with their sexuality”. She interrogates the format and photographic genre of the centrefold and aims to destroy dominant notions of beauty and eroticism. The spread offers no context before or after the image, meaning that audiences must construct their own narrative, generally based on texts already embedded within popular culture.

She is not perpetuating the stereotypes but is assuring female audiences that there is no fixed femininity. Defending Sherman, Mulvey argues that as the gaze behind the lens, she is not perpetuating the objectification of women, but rather subverting the gaze. In each photograph, Sherman explores contemporary ideas about female identity – one being the trope of a sad female longing for a male companion. The male spectator engaged in scopophilia pleasure should feel as though he has interrupted a private movement. As the woman behind the lens, Sherman exposes the role of the male gaze in an attempt to make those who objectify the constructed woman feel like the violators they are.

“I’m disgusted with how people get themselves to look beautiful; I’m much more fascinated with the other side,” She stated in 1989

At the time, images of ailing bodies were painfully on view in the news during the AIDS crisis; these added poignancy to her investigation of the grotesque and of various types of violence that could be done to the body. In these series and throughout all of her work, Sherman subverts the visual shorthand we use to classify the world around us, drawing attention to the artificiality and ambiguity of these stereotypes and undermining their reliability for understanding a much more complicated reality.

Image Analysis

This image stood out to me the most as she is interpreting the stereotype of a woman. This could link to her message of ‘ Deconstructing a woman’, within this image there is a sense of objectification and housewife aesthetic. I state this because the image depicts a domestic scene in which the character – seemingly a housewife – stands at her kitchen sink. The construction of the picture hints at a number of possible narratives and is open to a range of analyses. Though almost cropped from the picture, the woman’s gaze – out of frame and away from the viewer, accentuated by eye makeup surely unnecessary in her own kitchen draws my attention. For me, though the image offers a portrait that I read as a stereotypical representation of a housewife from the late 1950s or early 1960s. Sherman’s gaze indicates an awareness of the world beyond the confines of the frame; the way her hand rests protectively on her stomach suggests the possibility that this is not without threat, creating a tension within the image. I think this image is a mirror due to the fact it is reflecting as of the artist herself. I also think it is a mirror as she is trying to intend an element and theme of gender roles within society during this time, but how she feels about it. She is also wearing an apron to emphasize the role she is playing. As well as this, the photo is set up to take an image of herself. It is obvious it is a staged approach due to the unfocused saucepan pointing directly at her, and the placement of the camera, clearly being on the counter to see from a lower angle. Furthermore, the gaze away from the camera also tells us it is a staged photoshoot and is not natural in any way, purely to reflect the artist. I think this image is a subjective expression, as in a way every viewer could have a different take on it. For example, as she is portraying gender roles in society in the late 1950’s she could not be intending to express herself, but how women as a whole felt during this time through a sense of reality. Therefore, she would be expressing the external world during this time.  This brings to the debate is the only natural thing in this image herself? Therefore, this famous image of Cindy Sherman, reflects her as an artist, however meanwhile reflecting stereotypes of women in the 70’s. Sherman in my opinion, is sexualizing herself and playing the role of the ‘ house wife’ to execute the theme of stereotypes successfully as women in that time were seen only to make children and be there for the husband.

Another image analysis

This image has slight similarities but a few differences. A main difference to me is that the previous image was of Sherman, and also taken by Sherman, or so we assume. However, this image is not Cindy Sherman and is possibly taken by Cindy Sherman. The main factor that effectively stood out to me was the apron and the gaze. This is similar to the previous image as this woman is also portraying the role of the ‘ house wife’ which is a typical stereotype of women. Although, this image has a different setting. This one does not tell much and shows a dirty door. From what I personally get from this image, could be waiting for the husband to come home or putting coats back, I assumed this through the coat pegs. This in my opinion, is ‘deconstructing women’ as a women’s role in the 1950’s was to look after their home. The image of American women in the 1950s was heavily shaped by popular culture: the ideal suburban housewife who cared for the home and children appeared frequently in women’s magazines, in the movies and on television. Another effective factor that significantly got my attention was the female gaze. The subject is looking away from the camera, possibly looking at the male in the household or to something else. Either way, this creates a sense of objectification as women were only seen to be makers of the household. The black and white is used in almost all of Sherman’s images which I like as it keeps the older aesthetic which is relevant as Sherman’s images were in the 70’s, however it also creates an element of mystery and keeps people analysing images and attempting to find a story.

Image Analysis

This image stood out to me because of context and time lines. Cindy Sherman took her images between the 70’s and 80’s. This time line was when it was expected or stereotypical for women to be the house wife. Being the house wife normally meant for the female to be waiting at home meanwhile the husband was at work and looking after the children. Males were seen to be the educated ones and women not. This is proved through the second wave feminism movement took place in the 1960s and 1970s and focused on issues of equality and discrimination. Starting initially in the United States with American women, the feminist liberation movement soon spread to other Western countries. This allowed equal education for male and females. This image does not focus on the role of the house wife but instead of education. This significantly links to Sherman’s message of ‘ Deconstructing woman’ as Sherman has taken a self portrait of her in the library, grabbing a book. This is relevant to the timeline as this would of been a new acceptable thing for women to learn themselves equally to men. Not only this, women were seen as weak and nurturing to their children which was the only objective women were expected to do. One element that catches my eye is the female gaze, like every other one of her images. She is always looking away from the camera, potentially objectifying herself in the others, but possibly not this one. The purpose of the ‘female gaze’ becomes to connect with the female viewer via the female creator, coming together in a way that serves them, and upholding the idea that women are powerful and can control their own destiny. That is why one of the most notable differences between the male and the female gaze is intent.

Who is she?

Nancy Goldin is an American photographer and activist. Her work explores in snapshot-style the emotions of the individual, in intimate relationships, and the bohemian LGBT subcultural communities, especially dealing with the devastating HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

Mood board of her work

Her roles in portraying power dynamics within gender roles-

 In 1985, Nan created The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, a photo series about the struggle between autonomy and dependency and the power relationships between men and women that put her in danger.

The artist’s visibility grew, and she photographed herself with her face wounded by her boyfriend’s punches. He couldn’t stand who she was and what she saw. “My photos in which I look battered were what prevented me from returning,” she says. Many women in her situation were able to talk about it because they saw the photos. I haven’t found Nan to define herself as a feminist, nor Laura, but the only seconds in the film in which they speak as a duet take place when Nan says that when her boyfriend tried to destroy her eyes with his fists, at least she didn’t have the “ballad” slides on her screen — and here comes the double take: “Because he would have destroyed them.” The artists both say. The women who know that their eyes are their voice speak.

Comprising almost 700 snapshot-like portraits sequenced against an evocative music soundtrack, Nan Goldin’s The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is a deeply personal narrative, formed out of the artist’s own experiences around Boston, New York, Berlin, and elsewhere in the late 1970s, 1980s, and beyond. Titled after a song in Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, Goldin’s Ballad is itself a kind of downtown opera; its protagonists—including the artist herself—are captured in intimate moments of love and loss. They experience ecstasy and pain through sex and drug use; they revel at dance clubs and bond with their children at home; and they suffer from domestic violence and the ravages of AIDS. “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is the diary I let people read,” Goldin wrote. “The diary is my form of control over my life. It allows me to obsessively record every detail. It enables me to remember.” The Ballad developed through multiple improvised live performances, for which Goldin ran through the slides by hand and friends helped prepare the soundtrack—from Maria Callas to The Velvet Underground—for an audience not unlike the subjects of the pictures. The Ballad is presented in its original 35mm format, along with photographs that also appear as images in the slide show. Introducing the installation is a selection of materials from the artist’s archive, including posters and flyers announcing early iterations of The Ballad.

“My work has been about making a record of my life that no one else can revise.”

Nan Goldin’s photographs are like pages of a diary, sharing at once the intimacy of ordinary connections, the isolation of abuse, and the joyful abandon of being with friends. Upending typical art hierarchies, she showed her work in her loft and in New York City nightclubs and bars in the late 1970s and ’80s, where the audience consisted “entirely of the people in the slide show, my lovers and friends.” Goldin would often reorder her slides, and her restless images capture scenes in the middle of things; they are “fragments of life as it was being lived.” Most of her career has also been defined by activism within her community: first, in the late 1980s, around the AIDS crisis, and then, beginning in 2017, around the opioid crisis.

The intense realism of her photographs—and their accumulation in slideshows, books, and films—introduces a frank and riveting narrative. You get the sense, as the artist once said, that “the camera is as much a part of my everyday life as talking or eating or sex;” her photographs capture all three activities. Often garishly lit by a sudden flash, Goldin’s images offered a stark contrast to that of other emerging photographers in 1980s New York, who gained renown for posed and conceptual compositions. “I knew about those photographers who were doing media-related stuff, from Cindy Sherman, whose work I love, to Sherrie Levine and Laurie Simmons and all those other ones,” Goldin said, “but I was never part of any movement, and I never read theory. I think that was to my benefit.”

Image Analysis

Buzz and Nan at the Afterhours, New York City1980

This image stood out to me out of all of her work. This is because it is at a very natural, normal setting which I assume to be a nightclub or a bar. Nan Goldin’s nostalgic snapshots depict intimate moments of bohemian sex, transgression, beauty, spontaneity, and suffering. Her frames are marked by unflinching candor, rich hues, and a keen sense of empathy and lyricism. The main thing that stood out to me in this image was mannerisms and posing positions. This is because I personally got from this image that the male is more interested and could potentially be searching for intimacy that the female may not want. I gathered this theory through the male gaze and his body turned slightly towards her with his eyes faced to her neck possibly at her necklace or skin. To emphasize this, the female in the image is very faced frontally, facing her body away and instead towards the camera meanwhile not maintaining eye contact with the male. Her eyes are facing down at herself possibly to avoid intimacy. This interests me as it portrays gender roles and power dynamics within gender. This is because of the stereotype of males being dominant and confident, whereas a female having to avoid if not interested considering the sterotype of females being gentle, naive sexually inexperienced, soft and accepting. The female also has her arm up on the table potentially signalling an uncomfortable element or putting a barrier to prevent intimacy. Another way Nan Goldin portrays power dynamics within gender is through this image.

This image portrays the same theme as this is Nan Goldin trying to get awareness of domestic abuse between her and her boyfriend. However, there is a difference as this image shows violence within relationships specifically Nan Goldin within the bravery of sharing her own experiences. This image shows power dynamics and the stereotypes of men and women linking to the image above.

Observe : A verb- notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant.

Seek : A verb- attempt to find (something), attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something).

Challenge : A noun- a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength, a call to prove or justify something.

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