Fondation Louis Vuitton reopens with major retrospective dedicated to American photographer Cindy Sherman

The Fondation Louis Vuitton reopens its doors to the public on September 23 with a special show featuring the work of Cindy Sherman, one of the most widely recognized and sought-after artists on the contemporary art scene. The first event dedicated to the American photographer in France since her solo exhibition at the Jeu de Paume in 2016, this major retrospective brings together 170 works done between 1975 and 2020, including some previously unseen photos.

Initially scheduled to run from April 2 to August 31 but postponed because of the health crisis, the “Cindy Sherman at the Fondation Louis Vuitton” retrospective is set to become a highlight of the Paris cultural calendar for 2020-2021. Dedicated to showcasing contemporary art, the Fondation Louis Vuitton is welcoming visitors back with an exhibition of more than 300 photos from various series shot by the 66-year-old photographer since the late 1970s.

Cindy Sherman is known for exploring female stereotypes through extremely elaborate self-portraits. Posing in her own photos is a hallmark of the artist’s work. And yet, in all her images, she never looks the same. Through the magic of makeup, costumes and wigs, the artist transforms herself into a myriad of characters of her own invention.

The retrospective being presented by the Fondation Louis Vuitton covers a total of 18 of the artist’s series, including Untitled Film Stills, which made her famous in the early 80s. In this series, the artist denounces the clichéd representation of women in postwar movies. While showcasing the extensive scope of the artist’s creativity, the other series on display – Rear Screen Projections, Fashion, History Portraits, Disasters, Headshots, Clowns, Society Portraits, Murals and Flappers – all have one thing in common: they invite the viewer to reflect on the notion of gender. The final part of the exhibition focuses on a new series entitled Men, where the artist uses portraits of androgynous characters to encourage the public to question their perception of masculinity.

Designed in close collaboration with the artist herself, the retrospective also aims to highlight how Cindy Sherman’s work and technique have evolved over time: her transition from black and white to color, her choice of small and then large formats and, more recently, her use of image editing tool Photoshop and social network Instagram.

Parallel to the Cindy Sherman retrospective, the Foundation is presenting “Crossing Views”,  a new selection of works from its Collection, chosen in conjunction with Cindy Sherman herself.

Echoing the work of the American photographer, “Crossing Views” centers on the theme of portraits and their interpretation through a variety of approaches and media – paintings, photos, sculptures, videos and installations. The exhibition brings together around 60 works by some 20 French and international artists from different generations and backgrounds, many of them never previously exhibited before at the Foundation.