Cindy Sherman at The Broad

Since I first visited The Broad nine months ago it’s become one of the biggest sensations in town. Record attendance has made the museum a true success story. This week I was lucky enough to return to preview their first special exhibition Cindy Sherman: Imitation of Life.

Cindy Sherman is a contemporary artist know for her stylized photographs of which she’s always the subject. Throughout the years she’s portrayed various roles inspired by such diverse subjects as the circus, the Renaissance and the films of Hitchcock. I’ve often found her pieces fascinating to observe.

The current exhibit, which opens tomorrow and runs through October 2, is the first LA showing of her work since 1997. A career retrospective it features several pieces from the Broad collection and some pieces never before seen in LA.

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The exhibit is displayed in chronological order and it’s fascinating to glimpse Sherman’s evolution as an artist through the years.

As time proceeds the pieces become larger, more detailed and stylized. They become more ambitious in scope until the line between fact and fiction is completely obliterated. The final pieces in the exhibit are newly created this year and draw inspiration from silent films.

Of course, these were my favorite pieces. Saturated with color they are absolutely stunning. They are such authentic recreations of the silent era that were they in black and white they would surely be confused with images of former stars.

Cindy Sherman: Imitation of Life  is a fascinating glimpse into the career of one of our most important contemporary artists. It’s the perfect inaugural exhibition at The Broad and is sure to cement the museum’s status as one of LA’s most significant cultural institutions.