New surreal photographic self-portraits by Cindy Sherman are among the notable London art presentations this October. Shown at Hauser & Wirth through December 23, 2026, the work continues a career-long investigation into the ways identity is constructed, performed, and interpreted through images.
Self-portraiture without a fixed self
In everyday life, a self-portrait is often understood as a direct representation of the person who made it. Sherman has repeatedly complicated that expectation. Across her practice, she has used costume, make-up, pose, setting, and photographic technique to become a wide range of invented characters. The resulting images are recognisable as her work, but they do not offer a simple account of her private identity.
This approach feels especially relevant in a culture where people carefully manage how they appear online. Social platforms encourage users to select flattering angles, create a consistent visual style, and present versions of themselves that can be quickly understood. Sherman’s constructed characters remind viewers that appearance is not the same as identity. A photograph can be convincing and artificial at the same time.
The space between humour and discomfort
Surreal self-portraiture can create a strange balance between familiarity and unease. A viewer may recognise a pose, expression, or fashion reference, yet notice something that prevents the image from feeling ordinary. That tension can produce humour, but it can also expose the stereotypes and expectations that shape how people are seen.
Costume and make-up are not merely decorative elements in this kind of work. They act as visual shorthand. A hairstyle, a gesture, or a carefully chosen outfit can suggest a social role before the viewer has time to question it. By exaggerating or unsettling these signals, an artist can reveal how quickly audiences make assumptions from appearance alone.
Photography as a constructed scene
Although a photograph may look like a window onto reality, the process of making an image involves choices at every stage. The subject is positioned, the lighting is adjusted, the frame is selected, and the final image is presented within a particular context. Sherman’s practice makes these choices unusually visible. The photographs do not hide the fact that they are performances; instead, performance becomes the subject.
That quality also invites viewers to think about the relationship between artist and audience. We often approach photographs expecting to discover a truth about the person pictured. But what happens when the subject deliberately refuses to settle into one identity? The viewer must confront their own expectations and acknowledge how much interpretation depends on cultural habits.
Why the work resonates now
Contemporary image culture moves rapidly, rewarding instantly recognisable styles and personalities. At the same time, debates about representation, beauty standards, ageing, gender, and online authenticity continue to shape public discussion. Sherman’s work does not provide a simple answer to these issues. Instead, it creates images that make the act of looking feel less automatic.
Her photographs can also be understood as a reminder that identity is not always a stable performance. People adapt to different situations, experiment with appearance, and change over time. A single image can never contain the full complexity of a person. By making fictional identities so central to her work, Sherman draws attention to the limits of the photographic portrait.
What visitors should look for
Rather than trying to identify a character immediately, visitors can begin by noticing how the image makes them feel. Is the figure glamorous, comic, unsettling, vulnerable, or difficult to categorise? Which visual details create that response? Looking at the background, pose, clothing, and expression may reveal how the photograph guides interpretation.
It can also be useful to consider the viewer’s own assumptions. If a character seems familiar, what social role does the image appear to invoke? Does the photograph reinforce that role, or does something disrupt it? The answers may change after a second look.
A continuing conversation about images
Sherman’s latest presentation demonstrates why self-portraiture remains an adaptable form. It can explore personal identity, but it can also examine popular culture, visual stereotypes, and the mechanics of representation. In a world where photographs are constantly used to tell stories about who people are, her constructed images ask audiences to pause before accepting the story at face value.
The London exhibition is therefore not only an opportunity to see new work by an influential artist. It is also a prompt to think critically about the photographs that surround everyday life, from advertising campaigns to social feeds. Every image presents a version of reality. The interesting question is how that version was made—and what it encourages us to believe.
Background: The Guardian’s October 9, 2026, art roundup reported the presentation at Hauser & Wirth.
