The artwork titled “Untitled Film Still #22,” created by Cindy Sherman in 1979, belongs to the feminist art movement and is part of the “Untitled Film Stills” series. This genre of artwork is classified as a photograph. In this piece, Sherman explores themes of female identity and representation through the medium of self-portraiture in a cinematic context.
The artwork depicts a woman dressed in a tailored suit descending a staircase in an urban setting. The figure’s attire includes a formal hat and matching heels, evoking a sense of mid-20th-century fashion. The scene is presented in black and white, with the dramatic play of light and shadow adding a vintage, film noir aesthetic. The woman’s posture and downward gaze suggest a moment of introspection or narrative tension, emblematic of the staged but mysterious quality that defines Sherman’s “Untitled Film Stills” series. The architectural elements in the background, such as the stone steps and ornate carvings, further enhance the cinematic and historical atmosphere of the scene.
