With her Untitled Film Stills of the 1970s, Cindy Sherman became one of the era's most important and influential artists. Since then, her metamorphosing self-portraits and appropriation of genres can be seen as a continuous investigation of representation and its complicated relationship to photography. Saturday, August 9, at 1 pm, the Lancaster Museum & Art Gallery will discuss the impact of renowned photographic artist Cindy Sherman through a panel presentation by Antelope Valley College professors Charles Hood, and Christine Mugnolo, and Regina Reese, an artist who holds an MA in Photography. Additionally, a video screening of “Cindy Sherman: Transformations” will also be presented during the discussion. Admission to the panel discussion is free. “This is a chance to learn about the history of art through a unique artist who has an extremely successful thirty plus year career,” says Museum Assistant Larissa Nickel. “It’s rare for an artist to achieve that amount of success and warrants an investigation into the depth of her artistic career.”
Cindy Sherman emerged onto the art scene in the late 1970s as part of a new generation of artists concerned with the codes of representation in a media-saturated era. Throughout her career, Sherman has appropriated numerous visual genres—including the film still, centerfold, fashion photograph, and historical portrait—while commenting on a variety of issues in contemporary society including: the role of women, the role of photography, and the role of the artist. The artist can be viewed in person at the Broad Contemporary Art Museum at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art or online atwww.metropicturesgallery.com.
The City of Lancaster Museum & Art Gallery is committed to providing free educational programs that explore artistic voices and their role in creating and commenting on society. The panel discussion is presented in conjunction with the “Blurring the Boundaries: Exploration and Experimentation in Contemporary Photography” exhibit currently on display. The show runs until August 24, 2008 showcasing artists who work with photography by exploring and exploiting photographic materials and techniques for creative ends. The show will encourage viewers to investigate photography’s artistic influence and contributions to our visual culture and will provide the viewer with a unique photographic experience beyond the realm of traditional photography. A color-illustrated catalogue has been published by the City of Lancaster Museum & Art Gallery in connection with the exhibition, and is available for purchase in the museum store.
The City of Lancaster Museum & Art Gallery is located at 44801 North Sierra Hwy, Lancaster, and the museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11-4 p.m. and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Admission is free. LMAG is located across from the Metrolink station.
For information about LMAG exhibitions and events, the public may call 661.723.6250, or visit the website at www.cityoflancasterca.org/Index.aspx?page=67.
