At a glance
In this new series of digital portraits, Sherman uses heavy textiles and theatrical posing to explore how older women navigate visibility and status.
Meet the artist
Why go
It is a rare chance to see a completely new body of work by one of photography’s most influential figures. These portraits offer a sharp, contemporary look at ageing through the lens of fashion and social artifice.
You'll see
Staged photographic portraits · Elaborate textile costumes · Digital image-making · Characters merging with decorative backgrounds · References to society portraiture
Pace of visit
While the number of works is modest, the digital layers and intricate costumes reward a slower, more detailed look.
Don't miss
The moments where the figures seem to dissolve into their backgrounds, blurring the line between the person and the decorative environment.
Artlovers Tip
Visit on a weekday morning to avoid the Frieze Week crowds. Look past the costumes to see how Sherman uses digital techniques to flatten the space between the subject and the wall.
Inside the exhibition
Cindy Sherman: Fabric Matrons at Hauser & Wirth London, UK, presents a new series of staged portraits by the American photographer. Moving away from her earlier cinematic and historical archetypes, Sherman here focuses on aged female characters who use clothing and fabric as both armor and disguise. The exhibition captures these invented women in moments of high artifice, blending digital manipulation with physical costume.
The exhibition consists of new photographic works where Sherman performs as model, stylist, and photographer. Visitors will see heavily draped and layered textiles that function as more than just clothing; they act as camouflage, occasionally causing the subjects to merge into their ornate backdrops. The portraits draw on the visual language of high-fashion editorials and traditional society painting to question how power and beauty are performed.
This show is a significant departure from Sherman’s retrospective surveys, offering a concentrated look at her current interest in digital construction and the politics of ageing. By focusing on the matriarch figure, Sherman examines the tension between wanting to be seen and the social tendency to overlook older women, making it a timely addition to her career-long study of identity.
Worth travelling for?
A focused and timely stop for photography enthusiasts and those interested in how fashion and digital tools shape our understanding of identity today.
Experience as an Artlover
Entry to the gallery on Savile Row is free and does not typically require a booking. The gallery is usually open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00.
Cindy Sherman: Fabric Matrons
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