Joel-Peter Witkin, an American artist, possesses a penchant for crafting photographs that encompass a grotesque and macabre aesthetic. In the vein of renowned photographers Henry Peach Robinson and Oscar Gustave Rejlander, Witkin meticulously constructs scenes that feature cadavers, hermaphrodites, and dwarfs, imbuing them with literary, religious, and art historical allusions. Reflecting on his artistic pursuits, the artist shared, “I have dedicated my life to transforming matter into spirit, with the hope of one day witnessing it all. Gazing upon its form in its entirety, while donning the mask, from the distant realm of death.” He added, “And there, in the everlasting destiny, I shall seek the countenance I possessed before the world was formed.” Born in Brooklyn, NY on September 13, 1939, Witkin obtained his BA from the Cooper Union School of Art and later achieved an MFA from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In 2011, a comprehensive publication was released, providing a succinct glimpse into the artist’s methodology and philosophies. Today, his works can be found in prestigious collections such as The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. Currently, the artist resides and creates in Albuquerque, NM.
wwww.ftn-books.com has some nice Witkin titles available.
