Kara Walker's silhouettes

Cindy Sherman photos are headlining at the Broad Museum, but take a look at Kara Walker’s art

Cindy Sherman Madamoiselle magazine cover
In an early triptych Sherman depicted herself as a magazine cover model–her face slightly altered from image to image. It was a preview of the brilliant work to come. At a much later date she actually did fashion photos for Vogue.

Cindy Sherman has made a career of photographing herself.  The photos, however, are not simply selfies.  For decade after decade she has been exploring and reflecting on women’s identities and woman’s changing roles in our society.  Much has been written about her exploration of identity, so I won’t go into it, except to comment that her view of women is often very grim–even when the women apparently have everything. Nonetheless, Sherman’s photographs are amazing as is this show at the Broad.

Standing in a line in 100F temps looking through the glass window into the very organic entry to the Broad.
Standing in a line in 100F temps looking through the glass window into the very organic entry to the Broad. This interior contrasts sharply with the white boxy exterior.

Even with a paid ticket in my hand I ended up having to wait in two separate lines before I was allowed to enter the Sherman show. But having attended jam-packed shows at LACMA, I want to thank the Broad Museum for maintaining limits on the number of visitors to the museum. It is actually possible to see the art works throughout the museum without having to dodge around other viewers.  (It was also good to see that the ‘guards’ in the galleries were young people.  They looked as if they could be art students dressed all in black.)

And speaking of other viewers…six ladies, apparently friends, entered the museum in the same group as I did.  I love that they dressed up in their ‘going-to-look-at-art’ clothes.  I wonder what Sherman would think of their sense of self, their identities.  Unlike many of Sherman’s photos, these ladies looked as if they were having a great time!

Ladies lined upo in front of Jeff Koon's ;'Tulips' to have their photo taken.  They were having a great time and I loved the range of their clothing.
Ladies lined up in front of Jeff Koon’s ‘Tulips’ to have their photo taken. I love the range of their clothing.
Cindy Sherman at the Broad museum
Yes, that is Cindy Sherman looking like a hippy chick from the 60s or 70s. This is just one photo from a series about women’s depictions in magazines and movies as seen through the eyes of men.
Cindy Sherman photography
She may have been her own model, but she changed her clothes, hair, make-up plus the lighting and expression to depict American women of various backgrounds.
Kara Walker Silhouettes
Kara Walker’s art was an astonishing discovery.  She works in a medium that resembles old-time silhouettes–but oh, what stories she tells in simple black shapes. This is just part of a plantation scene with Southern belles and their slaves interacting. Very powerful!
Takashi Murakami mural
This is one small section of an 82 foot long mural by Takashi Murakami. I could have spent hours looking at it, but there was so much more to see!
Jeff Koons' sculpture of Michael Jackson and Bubbles
I always wondered who would buy Jeff Koon’s art works. Now I know: Eli Broad did.

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