Cindy Sherman Has Unveiled Her First Non-Photographic Works at Art Basel Miami Beach: Tapestries Based on Her Instagram

A pair of giant-sized Cindy Sherman self portraits are on view
at Art Basel Miami Beach, courtesy New York’s Metro Pictures. Self
portraits are the artist’s bread and butter, of course—the
shape-shifting photographer has recast herself in many roles since
her seminal “Untitled Film Stills” series begin in 1977. But these
new works mark an unexpected new direction for Sherman: they are
tapestries, the first non-photographic works she’s ever made.

The two pieces, debuting at the fair, are part of a new series
made from images originally posted on Sherman’s Instagram.

“She couldn’t make prints because the resolution isn’t good
enough,” Janelle Reiring, one of the owners of Metro Pictures,
explained to Artnet News.

The tapestries are produced in Belgium, and are being sold in
editions of ten for $125,000 each. At the fair’s opening day, the
untitled works were moving fast—so fast that Reiring was having
trouble keeping track of sales. “I don’t even know,” she admitted,
when asked how many of the works had found a home.

“People respond enthusiastically to all of Cindy’s work,”
Reiring added. “She has an incredible fanbase.” Given Sherman’s
enduring popularity, it isn’t a surprise that collectors are eager
to get their hands on work that represents a new type of media for
the artist.

Can it really be the first time she is making non-photographic
work? In May, Sherman teamed up with Catherine Opie to create a
mini line of cameo jewelry for art and fashion
platform LIZWORKS. “She’s done things for
charities—I think somebody made a pool float!” allowed Reiring. But
otherwise, it’s been all photos, the dealer said.

After so many years of dealing in Sherman’s photographic works,
the gallery wasn’t sure what to expect from this new venture into
textile works. “I was really excited when they arrived,” Reiring
admitted.

The dealer was wearing one of Sherman’s cameo rings, also based
on an image from the artist’s Instagram, which has transformed the
selfie into contemporary art. Sherman made headlines in 2017
when she made her account public, causing critics to wonder if her
social media output should be considered part of her practice. (She
now has close to 300,000 followers.)

With the unveiling of these new tapestries, that question has
been definitively answered in the affirmative. “Cindy had an
Instagram account that she used like everybody else does,” said
Reiring. “I think it was her hairdresser who told her about
these apps that people use to make themselves look good. Cindy can
contort everything and make them weird. She’s really gotten into
it!”

The post Cindy Sherman Has Unveiled Her First
Non-Photographic Works at Art Basel Miami Beach: Tapestries Based
on Her Instagram appeared first on artnet News.