The artwork “Untitled Film Still #16” is by Cindy Sherman, created in the year 1979. It is a part of the Feminist Art movement and belongs to the genre of photography, specifically within Sherman’s “Untitled Film Stills” series. This work, like others in the series, aims to explore gender roles and the depiction of women in cinema and society.
In “Untitled Film Still #16,” we see a black-and-white photograph that features a woman seated in a rattan chair. The setting looks like a simple room or an artist’s studio, with a white-painted brick wall serving as a backdrop. The subject of the photo — portrayed by Sherman herself, which is a hallmark of the series — is dressed in vintage-style clothing reminiscent of mid-20th-century fashion, with a dark, knee-length dress and light-colored shoes adorned with bows. Her hair is styled in a bob reminiscent of the 1920s or 1930s, and her pose is relaxed yet expressive, as she holds a cigarette in her right hand.
The woman’s gaze is directed off-camera, suggesting thoughtfulness or perhaps detachment. An intriguing aspect is the portrait on the wall behind her, depicting a man whose presence seems to contrast with the contemplative mood of the woman. The stark simplicity of the room, combined with the subject’s attire and introspective pose, evokes the style of promotional film stills from a bygone era, challenging the viewer to understand the narrative or emotional context of the scene. Sherman’s work invites contemplation on the roles assigned to women in the visual narratives of that time.
