What emerges through these images is a subtle analysis of individual identity, both the fantasies that it generates and the forces that shape it. This immersion in the uncertain, conflictual zones where individual identity struggles with the collective imaginary, stereotypes and issues of symbolic power, can be either playful or...when it touches on horror and repulsion, on the decay and dismembering of the body...very dark.

The Untitled Film Stills

• The first six are grainy and slightly out of focus (e.g. Untitled #4), and each of the 'roles' appears to be played by the same blonde actress.
• The next group was taken in 1978 at Robert Longo's family beach house on the north fork of Long Island. (Sherman met Longo during her sophomore year, and they were a couple until late 1979)
• Later in 1978, Sherman began taking shots in outdoor locations around the city. E.g. Untitled Film Still #21
• Sherman later returned to her apartment, preferring to work from home. She created her version of a Sophia Loren character from the movie Two Women. (E.g. Untitled Film Still #35 (1979))
• She took several photographs in the series while preparing for a trip to Arizona with her parents. Untitled Film Still #48 (1979), also known as The Hitchhiker, was shot at sunset one evening during the trip.
• The remainder of the series was shot around New York, like Untitled #54, often featuring a blonde victim typical of film noir.

Other works

• (2007) Cindy Sherman: A Play of Selves.Hatje Cantz. ISBN 978-3-7757-1942-1.
• (2006) Cindy Sherman: Working Girl.Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis. ISBN 978-0-9712195-8-8.
• (2004) Cindy Sherman: Centerfolds. Skarstedt Fine Art. ISBN 0-9709090-2-0.
• (2003) Cindy Sherman: The Complete Untitled Film Stills. Museum of Modern Art. ISBN 0-87070-507-5.
• (2002) Elisabeth Bronfen, et al. Cindy Sherman: Photographic Works 1975-1995 (Paperback). Schirmer/Mosel. ISBN 3-88814-809-X.
• (2001) Early Work of Cindy Sherman. Glenn Horowitz Bookseller. ISBN 0-9654020-3-7.
• (2000) Leslie Sills, et al. In Real Life: Six Women Photographers. Holiday House. ISBN 0-8234-1498-1.
• (2000) Amanda Cruz, et al. Cindy Sherman: Retrospective (Paperback). Thames & Hudson, ISBN 0-500-27987-X.
• (1999) Essential, The: Cindy Sherman. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., ISBN 0-8109-5808-2.
• (1999) Shelley Rice (ed.) Inverted Odysseys: Claude Cahun, Maya Deren, Cindy Sherman. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-68106-4.

• Cindy Sherman [videorecording] : Transformations. by Paul Tschinkel; Marc H Miller; Sarah Berry; Stan Harrison; Cindy Sherman; Helen Winer; Peter Schjeldahl; Inner-Tube Video. 2002, 28 minutes, Color. NY: Inner-Tube Video.

• Two filmmakers completed a feature documentary, Guest of Cindy Sherman, about one of the filmmakers' former relationship with Sherman. She was initially supportive, but later opposed the project.

• "I can’t work without it. And it has to be the right kind, because if it’s not then I get into a bad mood. I work with a remote so that I can change CDs instantly if I need to. (Sherman talking about her need to have music on while working)"
• "I didn't want to make 'high' art, I had no interest in using paint, I wanted to find something that anyone could relate to without knowing about contemporary art. I wasn't thinking in terms of precious prints or archival quality; I didn't want the work to seem like a commodity."
• "I was supporting myself, but nothing like the guy painters, as I refer to them. I always resented that actually.. we were all getting the same amount of press, but they were going gangbusters with sales."
• "When I do work, I get so much done in such a concentrated time that once I’m through a series, I’m so drained I don’t want to get near the camera."
• "I was feeling guilty in the beginning; it was frustrating to be successful when a lot of my friends weren’t. Also, I was constantly being reminded of that by people in my family making jokes."
• "If I knew what the picture was going to be like I wouldn’t make it. It was almost like it was made already.. the challenge is more about trying to make what you can’t think of."
• "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."

• Michael Kelly, "Danto and Krauss on Cindy Sherman", In: M. A. Holly & K. Moxey (eds.), Art history, Aesthetics, Visual studies. Massachusetts: Clark Art Institute, 2002.