London plays host to a new family of misfits this month courtesy of artist Cindy Sherman. Taking residence in Sprüth Magers gallery, the photographer’s most recent creations include a medieval soldier, a juggling performer and a dancing bohemian.
Continuing to use herself as a human canvas, Sherman’s latest cast has been created with the aid of digital manipulation – a practice that questions the human perception of reality, truth, and artistic expression. Using costume and props to hint at a specific persona, Sherman has stated in the past that she would prefer that the audience themselves assign a narrative to her ‘Untitled’ images. The artist’s own identity is hard to detect thanks to her prolific transformation over the years but on this occasion the absence of make-up as a tool to mask or disguise gives the figures an unnerving uniformity.
Making a departure from her previously framed photographs, Sherman presents her new works on large scale photographic murals – assembling a collage of eccentric characters that appear to be guarding the entrance to a mythical land that awaits you… Enter if you dare.
Cindy Sherman, Sprüth Magers London, 12th January – 19th February 2011
