Cindy Sherman's Birthday: 15 Artists Influenced By The Master Of Disguise (PHOTOS)

Today we're celebrating the birth of Cindy Sherman, our favorite artsy master of disguise. The blonde chameleon, known for her multiple personality self portraits, turns 59 today.

Sherman first turned heads in the 1970s with her "Untitled Film Stills," a series of black-and-white film noire style portraits of Sherman herself, donning stereotypical female roles like damsel in distress or femme fatale. Sherman's photographs exposed that the roles women are allowed to play in film mirror those women are encouraged to play in life. Sherman's masqueraded identities expanded to include sad clowns, Real Housewives-esque aging women and coquettish schoolgirls. Her imaginative photographs show that identity is something crafted and projected, not given.

In honor of Sherman's big day and blockbuster year -- she recently had retrospectives at MOMA and SFMOMA -- we'd like to explore just how big of an influence Sherman has had on the contemporary art scene. "The Cindy Sherman effect" spans far and wide, encouraging artists to use their bodies as canvasses, question female representation and test the limits of knowing yourself. From pop stars to conceptual artists, the following artists all owe Sherman a tip of the hat.

To see the original copycat herself check out the the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis before February 13, 2013.

Leave your happy birthday message to Cindy in the comments!