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Cindy Sherman — Untitled Film Still #17
Cindy Sherman

Untitled Film Still #17

1978

A black and white photograph presents a young woman positioned against a backdrop of modernist urban architecture. She wears a light colored blouse with a delicate scarf tied beneath her chin, her gaze directed toward the camera with an ambiguous expression. The towering buildings behind her, characterized by repetitive windows and geometric forms, create a sense of scale and institutional coldness that contrasts with the intimate portrait. The composition employs cinematic framing and lighting techniques, evoking the visual language of 1950s film stills and fashion photography. The work explores themes of identity, performance, and the construction of feminine personas within mass culture.

Medium
gelatin silver print, mounted
Overall
Location
Sotheby's, New York, NY

Notes

Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's, sale on 2026-05-15.

🔨 Auction Lot

Contemporary Day Auction

May 15, 2026

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About this work

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #17, 1978

A black and white photograph presents a young woman positioned against a backdrop of modernist urban architecture. She wears a light colored blouse with a delicate scarf tied beneath her chin, her gaze directed toward the camera with an ambiguous expression. The towering buildings behind her, characterized by repetitive windows and geometric forms, create a sense of scale and institutional coldness that contrasts with the intimate portrait. The composition employs cinematic framing and lighting techniques, evoking the visual language of 1950s film stills and fashion photography. The work explores themes of identity, performance, and the construction of feminine personas within mass culture.

Medium
gelatin silver print, mounted
Dimensions
overall: 73.7 x 93.6 cm
Year
1978
Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Conceptual Photography, Constructed Identity, Performance Art, Gender Studies, Vintage Aesthetic, Identity Construction, Urban Architecture, Self Portraiture, Black And White, 1970s Photography, Cinematic Still, Portrait Photography, Fashion Imagery, Film Noir Influence, Modernist Setting

More works by Cindy Sherman

Collected by

Todd Farr