Cindy Sherman: The Complete Untitled Film Stills

At first glance, you might see ordinary, banal photos that resemble out takes from studio stills. Look deeper and you will see works of genius that expose a new way of seeing and exploring the inner self that have been highly influential in the art world. This book has the images that started it all for Cindy Sherman and for that reason, you should start with this book if you want to learn about this artist.Who will like this book? I think just about anyone with an interest in art or photography would consider this a "must have" book for their personal library. Nothing in this book would embarrass you if you gave it as a gift; it is edgy, but not to the point of weirdness. I just gave a copy to my 10-year-old daughter for inspiration and she really enjoyed it (though probably not at the level of an adult). If you are willing to look, this book will reward you.Like any great artist, she makes it look easy. Her singular vision is apparent in the location selection, "set" design, makeup and costuming. If you have ever tried to do this yourself, you will respect what she has accomplished. The end result is that Ms. Sherman reveals what she wants us to believe are her innermost thoughts and emotions. Like great cinema, these photos achieve true suspension of disbelief and challenge the viewer's own framework of emotional identity. In the end, we believe.Arguably, these are the best work ever done by Ms. Sherman. One complaint about her newer work is that it seems to continue to retread the same themes and variations. Sure, her newest works are bigger and colorful in keeping with the latest trends in photography -- personally, my favorites are the images in this book. There is a freshness I don't find in her later work. But this human story, like her imagery, will always continue to be explored by artists as long as there are humans to explore.

I'm writing in late 2013. About 1-2 years ago The New Yorker critic (w/ whom I often agree) wrote a piece on Cindy Sherman that was mostly laudatory but dismissive of the film stills as immature and the least important part of her oeuvre and he implied that everyone who's anyone knows that. (That's not a direct quote but it captures the gist). My jaw dropped and I was like Excuse me??? I penned a nastyish letter to The New Yorker which they declined to print. Anyway, my point is this and I think it's sort of important: Great artists have to start somewhere, folks. Van Gogh did not hit a homerun every time. In my view the film stills are incredibly important. (And apparently MOMA agrees w/ me on that.) Why? These are her breakthrough. It's all here. In one volume. I'm inelegantly stating this, I know: The film stills are an important start to an important career.

If you have heard about Cindy Sherman for some time and feel a little curious about her photography, this is the book you need. Cindy Sherman resists stereotyping: she is hesitant to call herself a feminist. In fact, she is a radical post-feminist willing to break all cannons of feminization in media, film, and fine art. The book is magnificently produced in elegant black and white. I loved every bit of it!

Great book! But Amazon should pack the books better since you guys sell so many books.Always arrived with some kind of bumps here and there/

A fine book if you like Sherman.

I'm a long time Cindy Sherman admirer. Her untitled film stills are foundational to understanding and enjoyment of her work. I knew many of these from other sources, some from contemporary publications of the 70s like Rolling Stone magazine. Had to have the "complete set," :)

Excellent quality. My favorite of the 3 Cindy books I own. I'd have them all if I could afford it, but this is a great place to start if you already know you like her work. If your unsure, check out the Essentials. This is the official "Untitled Film Stills", not to be confused with her other untitled (lower case) film stills.

Brilliant book with photos of her black and white period, and informative text; the pictures are also larger than you might find in other text. No Cindy Sherman fan should be without it.

un libro excelente de un excelente fotografo

Libro molto bello. Il pacco è arrivato in anticipo è perfettamente imballato.

A great book, delivered on time, no complaints!

Excellent ouvrage!une belle iconographie et une introduction en anglais par l’auteur qui met en perspective les différentes photographies. Un must have !

Cindy Sherman の傑作です。必見です！世界最高金額で（号あたり）落札される写真家です。