Vancouver Public Library and V.I.A. have teamed up to help you discover new reads, hidden book gems and surprising literary finds.
These books and films will help you do a deep dive into the new Cindy Sherman exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery
The new Cindy Sherman exhibition is open at the Vancouver Art Gallery from Oct. 26, 2019 through March 2020. The retrospective features more than 170 works that includes pieces from every major photographic series from the artist. To help fans dive deeper, VPL’s reading experts teamed up with the Vancouver Art Gallery to bring you this list of top books to read and films to watch:
Cindy Sherman: Postcards by Paul Moorhouse
Cindy Sherman uses herself as model and prop in her innovative photographs. This book celebrates her influential career with a collection of 230 key photographs. These diverse images are representative of more than 40 years of work exploring and expanding the medium of photography.
Cindy Sherman: History Portraits by Christa Döttinger
Cindy Sherman radically re-imagines classic oil painting and the work of the Old Masters by creating photographs that replicate these images with herself as a model. This book presents a historical art analysis of Sherman‘s History Portraits.
Cindy Sherman by Eva Respini
Along with 180 photographs, this book provides additional insight into the artist’s creative process including a conversation between Cindy Sherman and her longtime friend, actor, writer and director, John Waters. This is the companion book to a retrospective exhibit curated by The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Guest of Cindy Sherman directed by Tom Donahue and Paul Hasegawa-Overacker
This entertaining and fast-paced documentary delves into the life of the notoriously press-shy artist. Created by friend and public access television show host Paul Hasegawa-Overacker, this film takes us along on their trips to major art events and vacations as well as everyday life.
La Notte directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Cindy Sherman’s innovative series, Untitled Film Stills, reconstructs scenes from 1950s and 60s noir, horror, B-movies, and European auteur films such as works by Alfred Hitchcock and Michelangelo Antonioni.
Body: The Photography Book by Nathalie Herschdorfer
This book investigates the use of the human body as subject of photography. Like Cindy Sherman, the artists featured in this book are exploring the images we create that reflect our shared humanity.
Anja Niemi in Character by Anja Niemi
Hungry for more artistic and innovative photography? Check out the work of Norwegian photographic artist Anja Niemi. Like Cindy Sherman, Anja Niemi also uses herself as a prop in her elaborately staged scenes and reimagines the genre of self-portraiture.
Moving Still: Performative Photography in India by by Diana Freundl and Gayatri Sinha
Like Cindy Sherman, these photographic artists stage scenes to create intriguing and though-provoking images. This is the companion book to the Vancouver Art Gallery's Moving Still: Performative Photography in India exhibit.
Jeff Wall: North & West by Jeff Wall
Local photographer Jeff Wall’s photographic works and contribution to photoconceptualism have been recognized throughout the art world. In this book, you’ll discover images that – while created here in Vancouver – have universal stories to tell.
Firecrackers: Female Photographers Now by Fiona Rogers
Discover more outstanding contemporary female photographers who represent an eclectic variety of styles, techniques and locations. The online Firecracker platform, created in 2011, is dedicated to supporting female photographers worldwide.
50 Photographers You Should Know by Peter Stepan
Discover the who’s who of contemporary photographers in this lively and fascinating overview. Author, art historian and curator Peter Stepan introduces you to his top 50 artists working in photography today.
#Nofilter: Get Creative with Photography by Natalia Price-Cabrera
If you’re inspired by the work of Cindy Sherman and want to explore new photographic techniques, start with this how-to book. It includes creative techniques for all levels of ability and is illustrated with examples.
Photobooth: A Biography by Meags Fitzgerald
Before there were selfies, there were photobooths – places for regular folks to have fun with photography and create instant self-portraits. In this graphic novel, Meags Fitzgerald sets out to celebrate and document this dying outlet for self-expression.
The Last Resort directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
This documentary follows two young photographers, Andy Sweet and Gary Monroe, as they capture images of the Jewish retirees of South Beach, Florida. Come along and enjoy a retro look at a South Beach community that no longer exists.
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