Artist Research:

1. Claude Cahun (1894–1954) was a French surrealist artist, photographer, and writer, best known for her exploration of gender, identity, and self-representation. She is recognized as a pioneer in challenging traditional gender norms, often presenting herself in androgynous or ambiguous ways in her self-portraits. Cahun’s work questioned fixed gender roles long before such ideas were widely accepted, making her a significant figure in early feminist and queer art.
2. Born Lucy Schwob in 1894 in Nantes, France, she later adopted the name Claude Cahun, choosing a gender-neutral identity that reflected her rejection of binary gender categories. This name change was part of her broader exploration of identity as something fluid and self-defined, rather than tied to societal expectations.
3. Cahun’s primary artistic goal was to challenge the societal norms surrounding gender and identity. She used self-portraiture as a tool to deconstruct and explore various personas, often presenting herself in androgynous or fragmented forms. Through costumes, makeup, and props, Cahun blurred the lines between masculinity and femininity, demonstrating that identity is not fixed but rather fluid and performative. Her work aimed to provoke viewers to rethink conventional notions of gender and self-expression.
4. In 1937, Cahun moved to Jersey with her partner, Marcel Moore. During World War II, they became active in the anti-German resistance, using their artistic skills to create and distribute anti-Nazi propaganda. Jersey became an important base for their political activism and creative work, and Cahun’s legacy on the island is commemorated today, highlighting both her artistic achievements and her courage during the war.

Image Analysis

‘I am training don’t kiss me’

Visual Analysis

The image features Claude Cahun herself, an artist known for exploring themes of gender, identity, and self-expression through self-portraiture. In this photograph, Cahun is posed facing the camera, yet her gaze is directed downward, with her face partially obscured by her hands. This creates a sense of mystery and ambiguity, which challenges the viewer’s ability to categorize her into a traditional gender role. The obscured face also speaks to Cahun’s exploration of the fluidity of identity, rejecting fixed, conventional representations.

Cahun’s attire is simple and androgynous, contributing to the blurring of gender boundaries in the image. She wears a loose, neutral outfit, steering away from the traditional feminine dress of the time. This ambiguity in dress further challenges societal expectations of how women should present themselves in the 1920s.

The object Cahun holds in her hands is a dumbbell, an unexpected item for a female figure during the 1920s, a time when women were often portrayed as delicate and passive. The dumbbell symbolizes strength, power, and physicality, which is in stark contrast to the more passive, ornamental role often assigned to women. The choice of this object reinforces Cahun’s rejection of gender norms and her embrace of physicality, autonomy, and control over her identity.

On her chest, a sign reads: “I am training – don’t kiss me.” This statement is both a literal and symbolic declaration of independence. It suggests that Cahun is focused on personal growth or training—whether intellectual, artistic, or physical—and rejects traditional romantic or sexual roles. The sign speaks to her resistance against being objectified or defined by external expectations, emphasizing her control over how she is perceived and the boundaries she wishes to set.

Technical Analysis

The photograph uses artificial lighting, likely studio lighting, given the sharp contrast between light and shadow. The lighting accentuates the contours of Cahun’s face and hands, guiding the viewer’s attention to the expression and gesture while adding a sense of mystery through the shadows. This high contrast effect contributes to the surrealist quality of the image and reflects the tension between visibility and concealment.

The background is blurred with a shallow depth of field, which suggests that a wide aperture (low f-stop) was used. This sharp focus on Cahun’s figure, contrasted with the soft, out-of-focus background, directs the viewer’s attention entirely on her and the symbolic elements she presents, such as the dumbbell and the sign.

The image is captured from a straight-on or slightly elevated angle, which eliminates any power dynamics between the subject and the viewer. This neutral angle emphasizes the subject’s autonomy and suggests that Cahun is presenting herself on her own terms, without relying on traditional hierarchical positioning.

The shot is a three-quarter body shot, focusing on Cahun’s torso and hands. This framing allows for a detailed examination of the subject and the symbolic elements in the image, while also emphasizing the performative nature of Cahun’s self-representation. The three-quarter shot also allows for a sense of intimacy while keeping the viewer at a slight distance, further playing with the boundaries between self-expression and public perception.

Contextual Analysis

In the 1920s and 1930s, women were navigating a complex shift in societal expectations. The 1920s, known as the “Roaring Twenties,” saw the rise of the “New Woman,” who was more independent, more mobile in public spaces, and more outspoken about her rights. This period also marked the victory of women’s suffrage in many Western countries. However, societal pressures remained, especially as the Great Depression in the 1930s ushered in a return to more traditional, conservative gender roles. In this context, Cahun’s work responds to these shifting dynamics, particularly the tensions between newfound freedoms and the persistent constraints on women’s roles.

Conceptual Analysis

Cahun’s work challenges the rigid roles imposed on women in the 1920s and 1930s, using her art to critique both gender expectations and the broader societal limitations placed on individuals. By adopting an androgynous appearance and rejecting traditional representations of femininity, Cahun subverts conventional notions of gender and identity. Her self-portraits, particularly this one, show that identity is not fixed but can be fluid, fragmented, and self-constructed.

The sign on Cahun’s chest, “I am training – don’t kiss me,” serves as a direct declaration of independence and autonomy. It suggests that Cahun is focused on her personal growth—whether intellectual, artistic, or physical—and rejects the idea of being defined by romantic or sexual attraction. The phrase “don’t kiss me” implies a refusal of objectification and a desire to assert control over how others interact with her.

The words “Totor” and “Popol” inscribed on the dumbbell may refer to private nicknames between Cahun and her partner, Marcel Moore. These playful names could represent the multiple identities Cahun navigated in her personal and artistic life. They may also allude to Cahun’s quote, “My soul is fragmentary,” suggesting that she viewed herself as a collection of overlapping, sometimes contradictory identities. This complexity is mirrored in the image, where Cahun presents herself as both a powerful, physically engaged figure (through the dumbbell) and an introspective, vulnerable individual (through her facial gesture and body language).

The juxtaposition of the feminine pose and the dumbbell in the image creates a powerful contradiction. On one hand, Cahun’s soft, contemplative pose suggests femininity, vulnerability, and passivity. On the other hand, the dumbbell, an object associated with strength, masculinity, and action, challenges traditional gender roles. This contrast reflects Cahun’s broader critique of fixed gender categories and her exploration of identity as something fluid, performative, and complex. By combining these elements, Cahun emphasizes that identity and gender are not defined by external expectations but are multifaceted, negotiable, and ever-evolving.

What is Identity?

Identity- the qualities, beliefs, personality traits, and characteristics that make an individual or group distinct from others.

Types of Identity:

Personal Identity: A person’s understanding of who they are, based on their experiences, values, memories, and self-image. (What makes a person ‘them’)

Social Identity: How a person defines themselves through their association with various groups, such as family, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or profession. This is influenced by societies expectations.

Cultural Identity: A sense of belonging to a particular culture or ethnic group, shaped of shared morals, values, language, and traditions.

Femininity:

What is Femininity?

Femininity- the qualities, behaviors, and attributes traditionally associated with being female or womanly in society. For example traits like nurturing, sensitivity, empathy, and emotional expressiveness. However, femininity is culturally and socially constructed, and its definition can vary across different cultures and historical periods.

Traits associated with Femininity:

1. Appearance: Societal expectations about how women should dress, or present themselves, such as wearing dresses or makeup (though these have changed through time.)
2. Social Roles: The roles women are often expected to take on, such as care-giving (traditionally to their husbands and children), homemaking, or being emotionally supportive.
3. Behavioral Expectations: Traits like politeness, compliance, and being nurturing toward others are often associated with femininity.

Masculinity:

What is Masculinity?

Masculinity-the qualities, behaviors, and roles that are traditionally associated with being male or manly in a given society. Like femininity, masculinity is socially and culturally constructed, meaning that what is considered “masculine” can vary across cultures and historical periods.

Traits associated with Masculinity:

1. Strength: Physical power or resilience, often in traditional masculine roles (physical work ect.)
2. Independence: Ability to be self-reliant, and the ability to manage things alone.
3. Assertiveness: A tendency to take charge, express opinions confidently, or lead.
4. Stoicism: The ability to remain emotionally controlled or unaffected, particularly in tough or challenging situations.
5. Courage: A willingness to take risks or face danger, often seen as a sign of manliness.
6. Dominance: A tendency to assert authority or leadership, sometimes linked to traditional gender roles in which men hold power over women.

How different aspects of Identity are influenced by your environment/ upbringing:

Gender Identity: The culture and environment in which someone is raised can affect how they express and understand their gender. In some places, traditional gender roles are strict, while in others, there’s more freedom to explore your gender.

Cultural Identity: Where you grow up shapes your connection to culture, language, and traditions. In a community that shares the same values, language, religion ect, cultural identity might be strong, while in diverse areas, people may adopt multiple cultural influences.

Social Identity: The groups we belong to, such as family, social class, or religion, are influenced by our surroundings. The values and norms of these groups shape our sense of self and how we relate to others.

Geographical Identity: Your sense of self can be tied to the region or country you’re from. For instance, a person from a bustling city like New York might identify with the fast-paced, diverse, and modern lifestyle. They may see themselves as part of a larger, diverse culture .On the other hand, someone raised in a rural village might identify with a quieter, more community-centered lifestyle, valuing close relationships and a connection to nature.

Political Identity: The political environment of where you live can influence your beliefs and values. Growing up in a particular political climate can strongly shape your political views and affiliation.

Loss or Lack of Identity: Migration, or rapid societal change can lead to a sense of lost identity. People who move away from their home cultures may struggle to fit into new environments, leading to confusion or social isolation.

Stereotypes and Prejudices: Stereotypes based on race, gender, or background can impact one’s identity. Living in an environment where prejudice is common can cause people to challenge these views.

Moodboard

Identity

“Identity” is basically who you are, it’s made up of the things that define you, like your values, beliefs, and how you see yourself. It also includes how others see you. Your identity can be shaped by lots of things, like your background, experiences, and the society you’re part of. It’s not fixed and can change over time as you grow or as you’re exposed to new ideas.

Femininity

Femininity is the set of qualities or behaviors that society often associates with women, like being nurturing, emotional, or gentle. These ideas about femininity can vary from culture to culture and can change over time. It’s not something that everyone who is female has to follow, and today, many people are pushing back against these old stereotypes of what women should be like.

Masculinity

“Masculinity” is similar to femininity, but it’s about the traits traditionally linked to men, like being strong, independent, and assertive. Just like femininity, ideas about masculinity are shaped by culture and society, and they’ve evolved a lot in recent years. Now, more people are recognizing that there are many ways to express masculinity, and it’s not limited to just a few behaviors.

Gender Identity

Gender identity is how you personally feel about your gender, whether you feel like a man, a woman, or something else entirely. Society often has certain ideas about how men and women should act, but those ideas aren’t the same everywhere, and they’re always changing. Growing up in a place where there’s a lot of pressure to act a certain way based on your gender can affect how you see yourself, but so can being in an environment where people are more open-minded about gender.

Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is about feeling connected to the culture or traditions of the group you’re from, like language, food, religion, or customs. If you grow up in a place where that culture is important, it can become a big part of who you are. But if you move to a new country or grow up in a mixed community, your cultural identity might become more fluid as you blend influences from different places.

Social Identity

Social identity is how you define yourself based on the groups you belong to, like your family, community, or class. Your social identity affects how you see yourself in relation to others and how you feel about your place in the world. For example, if you grow up in a working-class family, that might shape how you think about success or what kinds of opportunities are possible for you.

Geographical Identity

Where you’re from, whether it’s a specific country, city, or neighborhood, can shape who you are. The place you live affects your values, your lifestyle, and how you relate to the world. If you’re from a small town, you might have a different sense of community or pace of life compared to someone from a big city, for example.

Political Identity

Political identity is about where you stand on issues like government, rights, and power. This is often influenced by the values you were taught growing up, the society you live in, and the political climate of your country. So, someone raised in a conservative family might have a different political identity than someone from a progressive background.

Loss of or Lack of Identity

Sometimes people feel like they’ve lost their sense of identity or never really figured out who they are. This can happen if you go through big life changes, like moving to a new place or dealing with personal struggles, or if you’re stuck in a situation where you don’t feel like you belong. It can be confusing and leave you unsure of where you fit in.

Stereotypes and Prejudices

Stereotypes are oversimplified ideas about certain groups of people, and prejudices are biased attitudes based on these ideas. These can influence how you see yourself or how others see you. For example, if society expects women to be nurturing, a woman who doesn’t fit that mold might feel like she doesn’t belong, or she might be judged unfairly.

Artist: Michael Betzener:

In the double exposure images, the overlapping imagery suggests that a person cant be reduced to a single image or perspective. Instead, we are multifaceted, shaped by different things for example our emotions, memories, experiences which come together to form our sense of self. I believe these portraits ask us to consider not just the visible aspects of a person, but also the invisible, the inner complexity that often goes unnoticed.

The overall effect feels like peering into someone’s soul, not just focusing on the surface, it makes you think about the subjects experiences, thoughts and internal contradictions.

When I look at the mirrored images, the symmetry powerful, the subject is split in half with a perfect mirror image on either side. It feels like you’re staring at a reflection in a way that feels both calming and unnerving. The symmetry creates a sense of balance, but there’s something about it that doesn’t feel totally natural. It’s like there’s another version of her that on the surface level is identical but i think it is representing another vulnerable side that the subject is reflecting upon.

In terms of technique, Betzner is extremely precisise in these mirrored images. The way he aligns everything with perfect symmetry but still leaves a little room for imperfection gives the images a sense of realism that’s slightly unsettling.

The perfect split image feels like Betzner is playing with the idea of fragmentation, how our identities are often divided between how we project ourselves to the world and how we experience our inner selves. It’s like the mirror isn’t just about reflecting what’s in front of it, but about making us question what we really see when we look at ourselves.

Betzner’s use of double exposure inspires me to experiment with the idea of layering in my own work. The layers in his images don’t just add visual interest, they tell a story, often suggesting that the subject’s identity is never fully visible or contained within a single image. And I am going to attempt to expose that other side in my images.

My experiments with double exposure:

In this image the eye contact is what draws you in. The eyes create a direct connection, that feels personal, as though the subject is looking right at you. There’s a feeling of being watched or observed, but also of being unable to fully understand what’s being communicated. The eyes are clear, sharp, almost as if they’re holding something back, while the rest of the image feels like it’s slipping away as the colours and features blur. It’s unnerving because the subject feels both present and distant, both familiar and foreign at the same time.

In this image the contrast between the deadpan expression and the screaming overlay creates a strong tension throughout. In the background image her face is almost emotionless, as if she’s holding something back, like a mask of control, suppressing her true feelings. The screaming image almost erupts out of her face, disrupting the calm and revealing her raw emotion.

In this double exposure portrait, I used pink and blue/green to create a strong contrast that gives the image both depth and emotion.

Pink (Warm)

The pink tones add warmth and a personal touch to the photo. They make the subject feel more intimate and alive, like you’re connecting with them on a deeper level.

Blue/Green (Cool)

The blue/green tones, on the other hand, bring a sense of calm and tranquility to the image. It also creates a distant feel between the two images, the eye contact in the camera makes it feel like she’s looking right through you which creates a sense of unease.

The Contrast Between Pink and Blue/Green

The way pink and blue/green work together creates a nice balance. The pink draws your attention to the subject, giving it warmth and intimacy, while the blue/green tones add space and mystery. One colour feels close and emotional, while the other feels farther away, even though it is layered in front of the other image..

Using a double exposure camera:

Contact Sheet:

Images:

Experimenting with Photoshop:

Inspiration: El Lissitzky

El Lissitzky is a Russian artist, architect, and graphic designer, that was closely involved in the Russian avant-garde movement. His photomontages combine photography, graphic design, and typographic elements to create strong, political layered images.

The Image I used as inspiration:

My Image

Final Images

Chosen Images and Layout

Cindy Sherman

Cynthia Morris Sherman is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters

Cindy Sherman is among the most significant artists of the Pictures Generation to make the art analysed.

In 1972, Sherman enrolled in the visual arts department at Buffalo State University, where she majored in painting. During this time, she began to explore the ideas which became a hallmark of her work: She dressed herself as different characters, cobbled together from thrift-store clothing.

her main goal in photography was To portray the various roles and identities of herself and other modern women. 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”

She is adamant that her photos are not self portraits, this may be because they are different identities of her, therefore she may not count this as self portrait as it is not who she is as she is roleplaying a housewife.

image analysis:

Cindy Sherman is trying to adopt the character of a housewife in the kitchen. you can see that she is near kitchen apparatus and wearing an apron. Cindy is staring away from the camera with a dull looking expression on her face. this could because she is looking at someone or something. she is cramped into the side of the photo, which could mean that she’s not important. she is also holding her stomach which could either to make her feel protected if she may be pregnant. The title to this photo is ‘Untitled film still #3’ this could mean that she is so un unimportant therefore the film is too.

• the aperture in Cindys photo is large
• The Shutter speed is fast as the photo is focused as we can see the details.
• The photo has been taken from a low angle. this makes it feel like she’s in the same room as us.
• it is a half body shot which makes her look smaller and less important. it also makes it more intimate as we are closer to her.

Contextual

It was a time where there was many stereotypes in mass media. Historically, media narratives have constrained women to traditional roles, depicting them as caring figures or hostile antagonists. Girls were often portrayed as focusing more on their appearance, as well as being judged for their appearance. Entirely fictitious, these “stills” deftly encapsulate the images of femininity that, through the media culture of movies, had a hold on America’s collective imagination at the time.

This photograph from early in Cindy Sherman’s artistic career indicates a burgeoning interest in what has become a lifelong investigation into using herself as subject. Produced in 1975, during her time as an art student at the State University of New York, Buffalo, the work prefigures her famous Untitled Film Stills series by two years. In it, the artist references Claude Cahun, an early Surrealist photographer whose androgynous self-portraits inspired a later generation of feminist theorists to think about gender as a social role that is performed rather than innate—ideas that would become central to Sherman’s oeuvre from the mid-1970s onward.

Claude Cahun

Claude Cahun, first named Lucy Schwob, was born in 1894 and died in 1954, was a French surrealist artist, photographer, and writer, best known for her exploration of gender, identity, and self-representation. She is recognized as a pioneer in challenging traditional gender norms, often presenting herself in androgynous or ambiguous ways in her self-portraits. Cahun’s work questioned fixed gender roles long before such ideas were widely accepted, making her a significant figure in early feminist and queer art.

Cahun’s connection with Jersey began early, with childhood holidays spent in Jersey and Brittany. They were born Lucy Schwob in Nantes, France to a wealthy Jewish family. But in their late teens and early twenties Cahun had been looking for a new, gender-neutral name for a while. They fixed on the name Claude Cahun in 1918. At that time they was in a same-sex relationship with Suzanne Malherbe, who used the pseudonym Marcel Moore. They had become step siblings in their mid-teens and at some point a closer relationship developed.

Cahun’s goal was to challenge the societal norms surrounding gender and identity. She used self-portraiture as a tool to deconstruct and explore various personalities, often presenting herself in androgynous or fragmented forms. Through costumes, makeup, and props, Cahun blurred the lines between masculinity and femininity, demonstrating that identity is not fixed but rather fluid and performative. Her work aimed to provoke viewers to rethink conventional notions of gender and self-expression.

‘I am training don’t kiss me’ by Claude Cahun

In this photograph, Cahun is sat facing the camera, however her gaze is directed downward, with her face partially obscured by her hands. This creates a sense of mystery and ambiguity.

Cahun’s outfit is simple and androgynous which helps contribute to the blurring of gender boundaries in the image. She wears a loose, neutral outfit, steering away from the traditional feminine dress of the time. this challenges the social norm of what woman would wear back then in the 1920s

The object Cahun holds in her hands is a dumbbell weight, an unexpected item for a female figure during the 1920s, a time when women were often portrayed as delicate and wouldn’t lift weights. The dumbbell symbolizes strength, power, and physicality, which is in stark contrast to the more passive, ornamental role often assigned to women.

on her shirt it says : “I am training – don’t kiss me.” This statement is both a literal and symbolic declaration of independence. It suggests that Cahun is focused on personal growth or training—whether intellectual, artistic, or physical—and rejects traditional romantic or sexual roles.

Studio Lighting Mood Board

What is studio lighting?

Studio lighting in photography involves using artificial lights to shape and control how a subject is lit. This allows photographers to create specific effects, moods, and emphasize details that natural light can’t achieve.

The main components are:

1. Key Light: The main light that highlights your subject.
2. Fill Light: A softer light that reduces harsh shadows from the key light.
3. Back Light: Light behind the subject, adding depth and separation from the background.
4. Background Light: To light up the background and create texture or mood.

Why do we use it?

Studio lighting gives photographers control over how a subject is lit, allowing for specific looks and effects. Unlike natural light, it offers:

1. Control: Consistent lighting regardless of time or weather.
2. Flexibility: Different modifiers create various lighting styles.
3. Creativity: You can highlight details and create moods that natural light can’t.
4. Consistency: Reliable results, important for commercial or portrait work.
5. Detail: It brings out textures and features more clearly.

What is the difference between 1-2-3 point lighting?

1. One-Point Lighting:

• Setup: Just one light
• What it does: Creates strong shadows and a dramatic look, with high contrast.
• When to use: Good for moody or minimalist shots.

2. Two-Point Lighting:

• Setup: Key light + fill light to soften shadows.
• What it does: More balanced lighting, keeping some shadows for depth.
• When to use: Great for flattering portraits or when you want softer light but still some contrast.

3. Three-Point Lighting:

• Setup: Key light + fill light + back light (creates separation from the background).
• What it does: Well-rounded, balanced light with depth and dimension.
• When to use: Ideal for professional portraits or video, giving a natural, detailed look.

The types of lighting we are exploring:

1. Rembrandt Lighting

Rembrandt lighting is a classic portrait lighting style named after the famous painter. It creates a triangle of light on the shadowed side of the face. To set it up:

• Position the light at a 45-degree angle, slightly above the subject.
• This setup casts a shadow on one side of the face and forms a small triangle of light under the eye. It’s often used for dramatic, moody portraits.

Lighting Set Up:

2. Butterfly Lighting

Butterfly lighting is named for the butterfly-shaped shadow it casts under the subject’s nose. To achieve it:

• Place the light directly above the subject’s face.
• The result is a shadow under the nose that looks like a butterfly, with the rest of the face well-lit. This style is popular in beauty and fashion photography because it’s flattering and emphasizes the cheekbones.

Lighting Set Up:

3. Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro is a technique where light and dark are used in strong contrast to create depth and drama. It’s a concept from painting but is also used in photography and film. It involves:

• Lighting parts of the subject while leaving other parts in deep shadow.
• The contrast between light and dark adds a sculptural, dramatic feel to the subject. It’s great for creating a strong, artistic look or a mysterious, intense mood, like in noir films.

Lighting Set Up:

In summary:

• Rembrandt Lighting: Creates a triangle of light on one side of the face.
• Butterfly Lighting: Makes a butterfly-shaped shadow under the nose.
• Chiaroscuro: Uses light and shadow contrasts for depth and drama.

What is Fill lighting?

Fill lighting is used in photography or video to brighten up the shadows created by the main light. It helps soften harsh shadows, making the overall lighting more balanced and natural looking.

The idea is to add just enough light to the darker areas without making them too bright, so the image doesn’t look too contrasty. Fill light is usually dimmer than the key (light about half or even less) so it doesn’t overpower the main light.

You can use things like reflectors or even a second light set to a lower power to create fill light. The aim is to make the shadows less intense while keeping the overall look nice and even.

First Photoshoot

Editing

Chiaroscuro Lighting

This image shows chiaroscuro lighting. I achieved this by only having a light source on one side of the image and having a black background to exaggerate the contrast between light and dark.

Here Chanell put her hands in the middle of her face in order to show and exaggerate the clear distinction between the light and dark parts of her face.

Butterfly Lighting

I put the light source high up to create the butterfly shaped shadow under her nose.

Second Photoshoot

Contact Sheet

Butterfly Lighting

Chiaroscuro Lighting

I got her to scrunch her face to convey emotion but also to exaggerate the shadows formed by the lines on her face.

Rembrandt Lighting

Fill Lighting

Experimenting with photoshop

Final Images:

These 3 images include Rembrandt, butterfly and chiaroscuro lighting.

About:

Cynthia Morris Sherman is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Cindy Sherman has probed the construction of identity, playing with the visual and cultural codes of art, celebrity, gender, and photography.

She is among the most significant artists of the Pictures Generation — a group that also includes Richard Prince, Louise Lawler, Sherrie Levine, and Robert Longo — who came of age in the 1970s and responded to the mass media landscape surrounding them with both humor and criticism, appropriating images from advertising, film, television, and magazines for their art. At the end of the century, Sherman was the artist who most effectively utilised this source. Her pictures are composed of masks and anatomical models of the body, not unlike the bashed-up dolls by a surrealist pioneer such as Hans Bellmer (1902–1975).

Sherman grew up on Long Island, New York. In 1972 she enrolled at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and majored in painting, later switching her major to photography. She graduated from SUNY in 1976 and in 1977 began work on Untitled Film Stills (1977–80), one of her best-known series.

Cindy Sherman’s work is characterized by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters and explore themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity to portray the various roles and identities of herself and other modern women.

Her work is mostly consisting of photographic self-portraits. 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. 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. Sherman has always been adamant that her photos are not self-portraits.

The seminal series expanded the artistic potential of the photographic medium by using image-making to engage with dialogues of feminist and postmodern theories. In this pseudo-self portrait, Sherman assumes the persona of Claude Cahun, pioneer of self-portraiture and the French surrealist movement.

Image analysis

Visual:

In this image, Cindy Sherman is adopting the role of a housewife in a kitchen, as she is wearing an apron and has cooking supplies beside her it makes it easy to tell this. Sherman’s positioning in the photo makes it look like shes cramped in the frame and she’s looking over her shoulder which could mean that someone else is there or she’s deep in thought. She is holding her stomach and this could be either maternal or trying to protect herself. She looks extremely uncomfortable. Since the title is an ‘Untitled film still’ it suggests that Sherman is trying to show the typical female housewife stereotypes usually portrayed in movies.

Technical:

As the foreground objects are blurred it would suggest that the image was taken with a very large aperture. The subject in the photo is in focus so this could suggest that a fast shutter speed was used, with a balanced exposure. The angle this was taken at a slightly lower angle, this makes the viewer feel like they are amongst the setting and not outside of it. It is a half body shot so it would make it more intimate as the viewer is closer to the subject.

Contextual:

Gender roles are the roles that men and women are expected to occupy based on their sex. Traditionally, many western societies have believed that women are more nurturing than men. Therefore, the traditional view of the feminine gender role prescribes that women should behave in ways that are nurturing. Women were usually excluded and, when mentioned, were usually portrayed in sex stereotypical roles such as wives, mothers, daughters, and mistresses.

Sherman’s ‘Untitled Film Stills’ created a powerful reflection on identity representation and stereotypical femininity.

Conceptual:

Sherman is using selfies to deceive the audience.

Claude Cahun

About:

Claude Cahun was a French photographer and writer associated with the Surrealists. Her work was often in collaboration with her partner Marcel Moore, also an artist, and she is known mostly for her self-portraits which examine and challenge ideas of gender and identity.

Her work left a huge impression on photography and directly influenced contemporary photographers Cindy Sherman, Gillian Wearing, and Nan Goldin.

In early-20th-century France, when society generally considered women to be women and men to be men, Lucy Schwob decided she would rather be called Claude Cahun. It was her way of protesting gender and sexual norms.

In taking the gender-neutral forename Claude and by shaving her head, as she did often in the late 1910s, Cahun actively and outwardly rejected social constructions of gender and sexual identity. Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional.

Cahun’s connection with Jersey began early, with childhood holidays spent in Jersey and Brittany. They were born Lucy Schwob in Nantes, France to a wealthy Jewish family. But in their late teens and early twenties Cahun had been looking for a new, gender-neutral name for a while.

Image analysis

Visual:

In the image, it is a self-portrait of Claude Cahun. She is sat with her legs crossed and her gaze is staring directly at the camera. She is wearing black shorts, pale tights and top emblazoned ‘I am in training Don’t kiss me’, sitting with her right leg over her left, a heart on her thigh, spherical weights to right and left. On the weights, they have the names of comic heroes on it ‘Totor and Popol’.

Contextual:

Women were expected to roll up their sleeves and keep their homes and families running smoothly – and on a budget. Women without a family – either by choice or by circumstance – were often overlooked.There were more job opportunities for women in the 1920s and 1930s due to better education. Many women found work as clerks, teachers and nurses. The nature of industries changed and new types of work emerged. Many women found work in the new light industries e.g. making electrical goods. British society remained intensely gender and class ridden throughout the 1920s. Women had only slowly, and prosaically, gained political rights in the 1920s and secured little in the way of equality of opportunity in employment and education.

Conceptual:

Through an exploration of the multiplicities of gender, works such as the self-portrait from their series I am in Training Don’t Kiss Me (1927) declare that Cahun’s gender is both allowed to be on public display while simultaneously not to be objectified and exoticized by the male gaze. ‘I am in training, don’t kiss me’ refers to a provocative phrase that embodies the surrealist movement’s emphasis on challenging norms and expectations in society and art.

Identity refers to the characteristics, qualities, beliefs, and traits that define a person or thing. It is the concept of who or what someone or something is, often shaped by a combination of internal and external factors. In the context of a person, identity can include aspects like:

1. Personal identity: This encompasses one’s sense of self, personality, and individual experiences. It includes things like values, interests, and life history.
2. Social identity: This refers to how a person identifies with groups, such as family, culture, nationality, gender, religion, or profession. Social identity connects an individual to larger communities or societal roles.
3. Cultural identity: This involves the sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, which can include shared traditions, language, customs, and heritage.
4. Gender identity: This refers to a person’s personal understanding and experience of their gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
5. Digital identity: In the modern world, digital identity refers to the online presence or persona of a person, shaped by their activity, accounts, and interactions on the internet.

Identity is a complex, multifaceted concept that can evolve over time as individuals grow, learn, and adapt to different experiences and environments. It plays a central role in how people navigate relationships, society, and the world at large.

femininity –

Femininity refers to qualities and behaviours that society traditionally associates with being female or womanly. These can include:

1. Physical traits: Soft features, beauty, and appearance.
2. Behavioural traits: Nurturing, empathy, and emotional expressiveness.
3. Social roles: Caring roles like being a mother or caregiver.
4. Emotional expression: Showing sensitivity, compassion, and understanding.
5. Clothing and appearance: Dresses and other traditionally feminine clothing.
6. Cultural differences: What is seen as feminine can vary by culture and time.

While femininity has often been tied to women, anyone can express feminine traits. Today, there’s a growing understanding that femininity can look different for everyone.

masculinity –

Masculinity refers to qualities, behaviours, and roles traditionally associated with being male or manly in a given society. These can include:

1. Physical traits: Strength, muscularity, and toughness.
2. Behavioral traits: Independence, assertiveness, and competitiveness.
3. Social roles: Being a provider, protector, or leader.
4. Emotional expression: Traditionally, masculinity has been linked to controlling emotions and showing less vulnerability.
5. Clothing and appearance: Often associated with more practical or “strong” styles, like suits or casual wear.
6. Cultural differences: What is considered masculine can differ between cultures and over time.

Like femininity, masculinity is not fixed and can be expressed in many different ways. In recent years, ideas of masculinity are evolving, encouraging more diverse and inclusive expressions of what it means to be masculine.

how identity can be effected by theses –

Identity can be influenced by femininity and masculinity in the following ways:

1. Social Expectations: Society teaches us to act in ways that are seen as masculine (strong, independent) or feminine (nurturing, emotional), which shapes how we see ourselves.
2. Self-Expression: The traits linked to femininity or masculinity affect how we act, talk, and face challenges, which in turn shapes our identity.
3. Cultural Influence: Different cultures value certain masculine or feminine traits, and this influences how we form our identity based on those values.
4. Personal Choices: We may choose to embrace or reject certain masculine or feminine traits, which affects our sense of self.
5. Gender Identity: People may align with or challenge traditional masculinity or femininity based on their gender identity, influencing how they see themselves.
6. Relationships and Society: How others treat us based on our masculinity or femininity can boost or harm our self-esteem and shape our identity.

Overall, our identity is influenced by how we express or challenge traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity.

multi exposure

a technique in which the camera shutter is opened more than once to expose the film multiple times, usually to different images.

Man Ray –

In 1922, Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radinsky) freed himself from traditional painting by working with light through camera-less photography. He called this technique “rayographs,” where objects were placed on photosensitive paper and exposed to light, creating abstract images. Though the process existed since the 1830s, Man Ray focused on chance, irrational combinations, and abstraction. His early rayographs were featured in Champs delicious (1922), with an introduction by Dada leader Tristan Tzara, and he later explored moving images in his 1923 film Le Retour à la raison.

Rooted in the Dada movement, which rejected traditional art for randomness and spontaneity, Man Ray’s work embraced these ideas in both paintings and photograms. His photography and art also connected with the Surrealist movement, which aimed to explore the unconscious and the uncanny. He created surreal images like Anatomies, which transformed the human form, and iconic objects like Gift (an altered iron) and Indestructible Object (a metronome with a photo of an eye). A major figure in early MoMA exhibitions, Man Ray’s work was featured in Cubism and Abstract Art (1936) and Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism (1936–37). In 1941, MoMA added key works, including 24 rayographs, highlighting his desire to make photography as automatic as a typewriter.

Alexander Rodchenko –

Alexander Rodchenko was a ground breaking artist, both politically and artistically. He worked in many fields, including design, printing, painting, sculpture, and photography. He was also an art theorist and educator, teaching at VKhUTEMAS in Moscow starting in 1920. As a key figure in Russian Constructivism, he co-wrote the 1921 manifesto, advocating for the use of industrial materials in art for a society in revolution.

Rodchenko began photography in 1924, inspired by his earlier work in illustration and design. He incorporated his own images into photomontages and made it a key technique. Known for his experimentation, Rodchenko viewed the camera as a versatile tool for drawing, using unique angles and foreshortening. He encouraged photographers to take multiple shots of an object from various angles.

my image inspired by these artists –

for this photo I edited in photo show 3 different photos then made the effect in photo shop by dragging one photo on top of each other and then making so its blend is lighten and did same on other photo and edited the amount of opacity, on one of the photos the opacity was low so it blended in with the face and the other one is a bit higher but still blends in.

with in this photo multi exposure is used to seem like there is multiple of the subject, 3 different photos with this the subject is looking in 3 different directions to make photo look more interesting. which this photo style is seem more like man rays work.

for this photo i used double exposure, within in this photo, which its most similar to Alexzander Rodchenko. which I also tried with the same photo but added one more photo.

Montage –

 process and the result of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image. Sometimes the resulting composite image is photographed so that the final image may appear as a seamless physical print. A similar method, although one that does not use film, is realized today through image editing software. This latter technique is referred to by professionals as compositing, and in casual usage is often called photoshopping. A composite of related photographs to extend a view of a single scene or subject would not be labelled as a montage, but instead a stitched image or digital image mosaic.

John Stezaker –

Stezaker is a British artist who creates collages by combining classic movie stills, vintage postcards, and book illustrations. By manipulating and merging these images, he gives them new meaning. His Mask series, which blends glamorous portraits with scenes like caves or waterfalls, is known for its eerie beauty.

Kensuoke Koike –

Kensuke Koike (b. 1980, Japan) creates unique art by altering vintage photos. His approach focuses on using only the elements within the original image to craft a new, contemporary story. For Koike, each piece starts like a puzzle, with its own challenges to solve.

Aleksander Rodchenko –

In 1927, Alfred H. Barr, Jr., the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, visited Moscow and met Aleksandr Rodchenko, one of the first Anglophone art historians to do so after the Russian Revolution. Barr was shown a wide range of Rodchenko’s work, including Suprematist paintings, woodcuts, posters, book designs, photographs, and kino sets. Rodchenko was proud of his work, especially his 1921 declaration that painting was dead. He demonstrated this with three monochrome paintings—Pure Red Colour, Pure Yellow Colour, and Pure Blue Colour—exhibited alongside works by other Russian artists. These pieces focused on the material nature of paint, using the primary colours to eliminate representation and reduce painting to its simplest form.

image inspired by these artists –

within this photo its seems most like the artist Kensuoke koike, by that the face has been made into multiple circles which look a bit like an optical allusion.

within this photo I edited it so would give this rectangle distorted effect by the parts are lifted up. also the one blow i used the same original photo however I duplicated it and inverted it and then deleted the sections.

for this photo I used a similar method however i brightened the layer underneath and then blended the top layer, to give this effect.

final photos –

possible print layout –

visual gallery –

Cindy Sherman is a renowned artist from the Pictures Generation, a group of artists who sought to critique and analyze their relationship with popular culture and mass media. Sherman grew up on Long Island, New York, and in 1972, she enrolled at the State University of New York at Buffalo, initially majoring in painting before switching to photography. Her work is defined by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters, exploring themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity. Through her art, Sherman challenges the societal norms and expectations placed on women. While Sherman herself contends that her images are not self-portraits, I believe that, technically, they still function as such, as she uses herself to explore and question the roles and stereotypes imposed on women.

Mood Board of her work

Image Analysis

Mise en scene

It is the arrangement of the scenery. Sherman has used it effectively to portray the woman as a house wife sort of person. The way she is stood over the sink with the white basket for dirty plates and cutlery and washing up liquid near her is very stereotypical. also you can see a pan in the bottom left and a mug bottom centre which she looks to be cleaning. The woman is also wearing an apron tied around her waist.

Visual

Sherman has taken on the role of a housewife preparing a meal for her family, as indicated by her apron and the cooking supplies visible in the frame. The photo appears to have been taken at the kitchen counter, with part of her head cropped out, emphasizing the cramped space and the sense of confinement she may be experiencing. She stands at the counter, holding her stomach and looking over her shoulder, conveying a sense of worry or concern about what might be happening behind her. The act of cradling her stomach suggests protectiveness, possibly toward herself or an unborn child. The overall atmosphere is one of unease, further emphasized by the tight space around her, as she is positioned against the wall, hinting at isolation. Her placement to the right third of the image subtly reinforces her secondary role or diminished importance in the scene.

Technical

The shutter speed in this image is relatively fast, ensuring the subject remains in sharp focus with a well-balanced exposure, despite the monochrome palette. The camera angle is positioned lower, enhancing the sense that we are either sharing the moment with her or observing the scene from an outsider’s viewpoint, much like a friend. The composition is a half-body shot, focusing on her waist and above, which adds intimacy by bringing us closer to her—rather than seeing her full body from a distance. The aperture appears small, keeping most of the image in focus, although the depth of field is shallow, with the pan handle in the foreground blurred.

Contextual

Historically, women have often been depicted in the media as housewives whose roles were limited to depending on men, staying at home to clean, cook, and care for children. They were also expected to maintain their appearance for their husbands, always having their makeup and hair done, in addition to fulfilling these domestic duties. This portrayal reduced women to objects, reinforcing traditional gender roles. However, Sherman subverted these stereotypes by dressing as these idealized women, challenging the media’s narrow and unrealistic representations. Through her series Untitled Film Stills, she highlighted that these portrayals are mere stereotypes, not reflective of the diverse and complex reality of womanhood.

Conceptual

Given the context, it’s clear that Cindy Sherman is the subject in every one of her images. She uses herself to embody various stereotypes, critiquing the film industry through her Untitled Film Stills series. By choosing this title, Sherman targets the film industry as the source of these limited, dominant portrayals of women. By acting as the subject, she mocks the media’s idealized image of the “typical” woman, revealing how these depictions are fabricated. Sherman exaggerates her features, using fake noses and eyebrows to transform her appearance, highlighting the artificiality of these representations. Her work also resonates with today’s media landscape, where many young girls are influenced by models who embody similar stereotypes of femininity, something Sherman was already challenging in her time.

Linking Image

In this pseudo-self portrait, Sherman assumes the persona of Claude Cahun, pioneer of self-portraiture and the French surrealist movement. Like Sherman, Cahun’s interdisciplinary and political art practice explored notions of gender performance, using masquerade and costumes to play with identity construction for the camera. 

Close-cropped and black and white, Sherman highlights the artists’ signature French mime makeup and confrontational gaze. She holds a piece of silk fabric tightly bound at her chin. 

Claude Cahun

Like Sherman, Cahun’s interdisciplinary and political art practice explored notions of gender performance, using masquerade and costumes to play with identity construction for the camera. Close-cropped and black and white, Sherman highlights the artists’ signature French mime makeup and confrontational gaze.

Her work left a huge impression on photography and directly influenced contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman who developed a fascination for disguise.