Cindy Sherman, an chameleon of a person who is also an artist and a photographer… likes to do things in her own way, allowing people to interpret her art in their own way. In this book children are invited to see her art and say what they think of it. Today I invite you to bring YOUR students along to interpret her art in their own way as well. Meet Cindy Sherman: Artist, Photographer, Chameleon.
I half expect Cindy and I might get along as I also like to let individuals do art in their own way. Giving parameters and lessons and letting them live out their vision of how they think it can be worked out. It’s what makes art fun. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments from different children about her work, some of them making up stories to go behind what they see, others describing colours and attitudes, and still others describing their emotion at the image. That mix in attitudes and emotion intrigue me when it comes to introducing children to art.
We are introduced to Cindy Sherman in all her many forms, and her life as she explored art. Starting a child playing dress up to an adult experienced in her craft. A child could easily read this book as the language is written at a good level for upper elementary and middle school students. We read of the work she did and HOW she went about achieving her ends.. from scouring thrift stores, to covering the walls of her room with images from the past, getting friends to help her take pictures in different locations. She explores what makes a person…can a person wearing a wig and beard dressed in men’s clothes really be the same as the lady wearing a lovely dress and done up all nice?
Now, all this said, I can’t say I really appreciate all of her work, but I do appreciate the sentiment behind her work and therefore, should I ever see her work it gives me a glimpse into her mindset and therefore helps me appreciate what her aim is. People being people without worrying about the window-dressing. 🙂
Cindy is a persistent lady with a vision of what she wants to accomplish in her art. This book is well worth giving any prospective art student as an encouragement to them to continue in their endeavors.
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Meet Cindy Sherman: Artist, Photographer, Chameleon Jan Greenburg & Sandra Jordan Roaring Book Press 64 pages, ages 7-12 art, softcover, opinion, artist, middle school Reviewed for: Raincoast Books. |
I have never heard of this artist; this books like quite interesting.
She was new to me as well. Some of her work I like others….meh. I love how she let’s people intrepret her work in their own way.
I don’t think I’ve heard of her before, but this looks like an interesting book – if only for the commentary on her art by children!
it was, I particularly enjoyed the children’s commentary
New name but I do have to say – not appealing to me except for the freedom she expressed that all have in looking at art.
Freedom to express opinions….thats what i liked in this book.