THE TALENTED MR. SHERMAN I may have been out of my mind on pain pills when I interviewed Mr. Sherman. Indeed, I did make him come to me, in the midst of my recent back troubles, while I held court from the lofty perch of my luxuriously appointed bed. Though this column on Bob Sherman is part of our ongoing series focusing on photographers, it is only one aspect of his work that we will touch on. An ordained minister, Sherman has worn many hats, including that of the plastic-factory worker, mechanic, therapist, frog wrangler, rabbi, garbage man, legal secretary, and doorman. His partner in crime (and in life), Louisa Spaventa (aka Ruby Lamb), is a local performance personality, creative designer, and Web mistress. He is soft and sweet, and about as threatening as a kitten, but he’ll hate us for saying so — he sees himself very differently, of course. He probably wants to appear menacing and evil, but it’s hard to get past his smile. He’s quick to laugh and share his pleasure, and his face lights up with the naive joy of discovery, glowing like an eight-year-old’s. Besides, it’s hard to be menaced when we keep remembering that the first time we met Mr. Sherman, last year, he was wearing a tasteful black shirt, boots, and a great big black crinoline petticoat. Though his personal history portrays himself as perhaps more worldly than he is, he has the fertile and vivid imagination of a true renaissance artist.
Sherman’s first love is composing and performing music; he plays upright and electric bass, keyboards, and turntables in a trip-hop style, but he his best known for his photography work for Forbidden Fruit. With a love of unusual settings, he lives in a brilliantly colored world inhabited by creatures of the night. Utilizing very creative effects, such as extreme close-ups and perspectives, he produces photographs, often surreal images of sex and even death, that raise many more questions than answers. “I’m willing to stand there and take pictures while someone tells me what to do, if they pay me a lot of money. But they’re better off hiring me to do what I do best, which is to create.” His creations are stunning, and can be seen at www.bobshermanart.com. Other irons in the fire include www.hollywoo.com, the beginnings of a pay site for erotica with a comedy/fetish approach. Bob is supplying the images, and Louisa is building the rooms. The entry hall is set up, and is a hint of what is to come. A related site is www.rubylamb.com, which explores the mysteries of Louisa’s character, Ruby Lamb. Commercial and independent video work also fills Sherman’s time. After a couple of attempts (“They were rejected three years running by SXSW,” he offers proudly), he will soon unleash his indie feature, The Mummy’s Tongue, on an unsuspecting public. A digital feature film, it is a “left-of-center, Texas-style road-trip comedy” to be released this summer. www.mummystongue.com, a Web site beautifully designed by Louisa, offers a menu of delectable treats, that, when clicked on, tell the story of the granddaughter of John Wilkes Booth and her search for the mummified tongue of her grandfather. It is a descent into Internet madness, lavishly illustrated with Sherman’s photos, and is a mere hint of what we can expect from the forthcoming film. Sherman’s commercial work includes the stylish television spot for Aqua as well as Forbidden Fruit, and video work for pom-pom girls from hell, Satan’s Cheerleaders. “I go about my commercials as an artistic project. I do it as I would a short movie. I write the music and work very closely with the client.” Sherman will be presenting The Art of Bob Sherman: Electronica, Photography, and Video, his multimedia magic event, Friday, March 16, 8pm, at the fab new location of Pink Salon (1204 S. Congress). Be there or be Cher.
This article appears in March 16 • 2001.