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Joel Peter Witkin Forty Photographs Art Ebook PDF
Joel Peter Witkin Forty Photographs Art Ebook PDF
Acknowledgements
Plates
I want to express appreciation for the help Joel-Peter Witkin gave me while preparing this
introduction to his work and for making special reproduction prints for the catalog. Many
other people and institutions also helped to make possible this publication and the
exhibition it serves. Collectors, recognized elsewhere, and two dealers, Jeffrey Fraenkel
and Peter MacGill, generously permitted the reproduction of pictures by Witkin in their
possession. Special thanks are due to Eugenie Candau who read the introduction and
offered valuable suggestions; Patti Carroll, who coordinated all aspects of the exhibition
and catalog, including the assembling of the pictures for reproduction, prepared the
checklist and the brief biographic entry and bibliographic references; Karin Victoria, who
patiently transcribed the introduction as it evolved from brief notes to its present form;
and Suzanne Anderson-Carey who created such a striking design for this catalog. V.D.C.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Corpus
Notes
1 Two of the Witkins in this exhibition are related to well-known nineteenth-century photographs, and one was
inspired by a twentieth-century photograph. The Prince Imperial refers to Mayor freres and Pierson's 1860s
studio portrait of Napoleon Ill's son sitting on a pony, and Mandan is based on George Catlin's painting of the
1830s of young Indian men being tested for bravery by being suspended in the air by cords hooked into their
pectoral muscles. Courbet in Rejlander's Pool draws upon the work of the great nineteenth-century French
realist painter and the Swedish-born British nineteenth-century genre photographer. A portrait by the twen-
tieth-century German photographer August Sander is behind one of Witkin's images.
There are illustrated in this catalog Witkin's use of the painting Don Manuel Osorio de Zuniga by Goya and
Grant Wood's 1930s portrait of his sister Nan. His parody of Ruben's 1630s painting of his beautiful wife,
Helena Fourment, and Canova's nineteenth-century marble of Venus indicate that there is a whimsical side to
Witkin. We look at these photographs derived from major works in art history and then look again to discover
a penis peeking out from under the covers in Canova's Paolina Borghese as Venus Victorious and the same
appurtenance appears attached to the coy Helena Fourment in Witkin's version. Much more serious in intent is
his Pygmalion in which he incorporated imagery of a dead human fetus with portions of Picasso's great 1930s
protest painting against war, Guernica.
2 Biographical information and quotations are derived from Revolt Against the Mystical, Writkin's M.A. Thesis,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1976.
3 One of Witkin's teachers at the University of New Mexico, Thomas Barrow, was at this time scratching on his
negatives in the series, Cancellations.
4 Further quotations are from an interview conducted by Van Deren Coke with Joel-Peter Witkin in Albuquer-
que, New Mexico, July, 1985.
5 Muybridge, Eadweard, Animal Locomotion (Philadelphia, 1887).
P L A T E S
Mother and Child
1979/1982
Woman Breastfeeding an Eel
1979
Hermes
1981
Penitente
1982
Pygmalion
1982
The Wife of Cain
1981/1982
Francisco de Goya, Don Manuel Osorio De Zuniga, 1800,
oil on canvas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
(not in exhibition)
Manuel Osorio
1982
Canova, Paolina Borghese as Venus Victorious, 1804-8, marble,
Courtesy David Finn, New York
(not in exhibition)
Canova's Venus
1982
La Brassière de Joan Miró (The Bra of Joan Miró)
1982
Counting Lesson in Purgatory
1982
von Gloeden in Asien (von Gloeden in Asia)
1984
Expulsion from Paradise of Adam and Eve
1981
George Catlin, The Cutting Scene, Mandan O-kee-pa ceremony, 1832,
oil on canvas, W.D. Harmsen, Denver
(not in exhibition)
Mandan
1981
Peter Paul Rubens, The Little Fur ca. 1638, oil on canvas,
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
(not in exhibition)
Helena Fourment
1984
Grant Wood, Portrait of Nan, 1933, oil on masonite panel,
On loan to the Elvehjem Art Museum, University of Wisconsin, Madison
(not in exhibition)
Portrait of Nan
1984
I.D. Photograph from Purgatory: Two Women with Stomach Irritations
1982
Choice of Outfits for the Agonies of Mary
1984
Bird of Queveda
1982
Harvest
1984
Melvin Burkhart Human Oddity
1985
C H E C K L I S T OF THE E X H I B I T I O N
In the listings of dimensions, height pre- Hermes, 1981, a.p. I, 14¾ x l4¾ (37.5 x 37.5), Sanitarium (New Mexico), 1983, 3/3,
cedes width. Measurements indicate image San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Gift 28½ x 28½ (72.4 x 72.4), Robert Lieber,
size in inches; centimeter measurements of Dr. and Mrs. William R. Fielder 84.210 San Francisco
are given in parentheses. Date refers to the
date of the negative; when two are listed Mandan (San Francisco), 1981, 2/15, Alternates for Muybridge (San Francisco),
and separated by a slash, the second date 1411/16 x 1411/16 (37.3 x 37.3), 1984, 1/15, 1415/16 x 1415/16 (38.0 x 38.0),
is the date of the print. When known, print Harry H. Lunn, Jr., Paris Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Fran-
edition number is included. For some of the cisco, and Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
The Prince Imperial (New Mexico), 1981,
prints, the location where the photograph 12/15, 1415/16 x 15 (38.0 x 38.1), Choice of Outfits for the Agonies of Mary
was taken is included in parentheses. Wallace S. Wilson, Houston (San Francisco), 1984, 14½ x 14¾
Translations of foreign titles are italicized (36.8x 37.4), Robert Pearlstein,
and also given in parentheses. When The Tests of Christ, Cicades (New Mexico),
New York
known, alternative titles under which the 1981, 7/15, 15 x 15¼ (38.1 x 38.7), Courtesy
work has been previously published also of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, Drawing for Helena Fourment (San Fran-
appear in parentheses. All works are gelatin and Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York cisco), 1984, from the series, Journeys of the
silver prints with selenium and sepia Mask, pencil on paper, 7½ x 8 (19.0 x 20.3),
The Wife of Cain (New Mexico), 1981/1982,
toners unless otherwise indicated. Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery San Fran-
147/16 x 1413/16 (36.6 x 37.6),
cisco, and Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
Dr. Barry S. Ramer, San Francisco
Jesus and His Mother Mary: Photographed Harvest (Philadelphia), 1984, 3/3, 28 x 28
Le Baiser (The Kiss) (New Mexico),
by an Anonymous Galilean Photographer, (71.1 x 71.1), Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Goldberg,
1982, a.p. I, 1413/16 x 1415/16 (37.6 x 37.9),
1974, from the series, Contemporary Images New York
Dr. and Mrs. William R. Fielder, Atherton,
of Christ, gelatin silver print, 615/16 x 4¾
California Helena Fourment (San Francisco), 1984,
(17.6 x 12.1), Collection of the artist
Bird of Queveda (New Mexico), 1982, 3/15, 3/3, from the series, Journeys of the Mask,
Two Women Bound (New Mexico), 1975, from 28 x 28 (71.1 x 71.1), Courtesy of Galerie
1411/16 x 14¾ (37.3 x 37.4), Charles Schmalz,
the series, Evidences of Anonymous Atrocities, Texbraun, Paris
San Francisco
15 x 15 (38.1 x 38.1),
Jonathan Morgan, San Francisco La Brassière de Joan Miró (The Bra of Joan Portrait of Nan (New Mexico), 1984, 2/3,
Miró) (New Mexico), 1982, 3/15, 14½ x 14¾ 29¼ x 29'¼ (74.3 x 74.3), Byron Meyer,
The Emperor of Japan (formerly Untitled San Francisco
(36.8 x 37.4) Mr. and Mrs. Richard Solo-
[New Mexico]), 1977, gelatin silver print,
mon, New York Il Ragazzo con Quattro Bracci (The Boy
from the series, Objects Held and Thrown,
87/16 x 125/8 (21.5 x 32.1), San Francisco with Four Arms) (San Francisco), 1984, 1/15,
Canova's Venus (New York), 1982, a.p. II,
145/8 x 151/16 (37.1 x 38.2), Joshua Smith,
Museum of Modern Art, The Helen 145/8 x 1413/16 (37.2 x 37.7), San Francisco
Crocker Russell and William H. and Ethel Washington, DC.
Museum of Modern Art, Gift of Dr. and
W Crocker Family Funds Purchase 80.188 Mrs. William R. Fielder 84.212 The Result of War: Cornucopian Dog
Capitulation of France (New Mexico), 1982, (New Mexico), 1984,2/3, 28 x 281/8 (71.7 x 71.4),
Man with Wings and Wheels (New Mexico),
Bruce Velick, San Francisco
1979, 11/15, 145/8 x 1411/16 (37.1 x 37.3), Courtesy 14¾ x 15 (37.4 x 38.1), Charlene Engelhard,
of Fraenkel Gallery San Francisco, and Cambridge, Massachusetts von Gloeden in Asien (von Gloeden in Asia)
Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York (New York), 1984, 4/15, 1415/16 x 145/8
Counting Lesson in Purgatory (New Mexico),
(38.0 x 37.1), Joshua Smith, Washington, DC.
Mother and Child'(New Mexico), 1979/1982, 8/15, 1982, 3/15, 145/8 x 4½ (37.1 x 36.8),
141/8 x 143/8 (35.8 x 36.5), Courtesy of Fraenkel Helga Maaser, San Francisco Courbet in Re/lander's Pool (New Mexico),
Gallery, San Francisco, and Pace/MacGill 1985, 3/15, 147/8 x 147/8 (37.8 x 37.8), Cour-
I.D. Photograph from Purgatory: Two Women
Gallery, New York tesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, and
with Stomach Irritations (New Mexico),
Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
Woman Breastfeeding an Eel (New Mexico), 1982, 147/16 x 15 (36.6 x 38.1), Charlene
1979, 1/3, 28¼ x 38 (71.7 x 96.5), Courtesy Engelhard, Cambridge, Massachusetts Melvin Burkhart Human Oddity (Florida),
of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, and 1985, 1/15, 14¾ x 14¾ (37.4 x 37.4), Courtesy
Manuel Osorio (New Mexico), 1982, 5/15, of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, and
Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
14½ x 14 (36.8 x 35.5), Courtesy of Fraenkel Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
Carrotcake #1 (New Mexico), 1980/1982, 5/15, Gallery, San Francisco, and Pace/MacGill
1413/16 x 147/8 (37.6 x 37.8), Larry Phillips, Gallery, New York
Westport, California Penitente (New Mexico), 1982, 1411/16 x 14¾
Androgyny Breastfeeding a Fetus, 1981, 3/15, (37.3 x 37.4), Robert Pearlstein, New York
14¼ x 14 (36.2 x 35.5), Courtesy of Fraenkel Pygmalion (New Mexico), 1982, 11/15, 14½
Gallery, San Francisco, and Pace/MacGill x 14¾ (36.8 x 37.4), Rene and Veronica di
Gallery, New York Rosa, Napa, California
Angel of the Carrots (New Mexico), 1981, Saviour of the Primates (New Mexico), 1982,
12/15, 1411/16 x 1413/16 (37.3 x 37.6), Mr. and Mrs. 7/15, 1411/16 x 15 (37.3 x 38.1), Rene and
David C. Ruttenberg through the courtesy Veronica di Rosa, Napa, California
of the Ruttenberg Arts Foundation
Woman Masturbating on the Moon (New
Expulsion from Paradise of Adam and Eve Mexico), 1982, 13/15, 149/16 x 14¾
(New Mexico), 1981, 1/15, 1415/16 x 15 (37.0 x 37.4), Jo C. Tartt, Jr., Washington,
(38.0 x 38.1), Joel and Anne Ehrenkranz, DC.
New York
Woman with Severed Head, 1982, 147/8 x 15
(37.8 x 38.1), Joseph and Elaine Monsen
The Emperor of Japan
1977
B I O G R A P H Y
Born in Brooklyn, New York, 1939 1982 Androgeny in Art, Emily Lowe Edwards, Owen. "Dancing with
Studied at The Cooper Union School Gallery, Hofstra University, Death." American Photographer,
of Art, New York (B.A., 1974); University Hempstead, New York August 1983, pp. 29-30.
of New Mexico, Albuquerque (M. A., 1976) Form, Freud and Feeling, San
Edwards, Owen. "Joel-Peter
Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Witkin." American Photographer,
Selected One-Person Exhibitions Mois de la Photo a Paris, Musee
Nationale d'Art Moderne et de November 1985, pp. 40-53.
1969 Moore College of Art Gallery, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris Fahey, David. "Joel-Peter Witkin!'
Philadelphia New New York, Fine Arts Gallery, Interview, July 1985, pp. 103-105.
1972 The Cooper Union School of Art, Florida State University, Tallahassee
(catalog) Fischer, Hal. "Joel-Peter Witkin:
New York The Dark End of the Spectrum!'
Staged Photo Events,
1976 University Art Museum, University Fotografie 32-33, 1984, pp. 30-37.
Kuntstichting, Rotterdam,
of New Mexico, Albuquerque The Netherlands (catalog) Kozloff, Max. "Contention between
1980 Projects Studio One, New York Two Critics about a Disagreeable
1983 Images Fabriquees, Centre Georges Beauty." Artforum, February 1984,
1982 Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco Pompidou, Paris (catalog) pp. 45-53.
Galerie Texbraun, Paris Personal Choice, Victoria and Albert
San Francisco Camerawork Museum, London Witkin, Joel-Peter. "Divine Revolt."
Aperture, Fall 1985, pp. 34-41.
1983 C.E.P.A. Gallery, Buffalo, New York 1984 Content: A Contemporary Focus,
Kansas City Art Institute, Missouri 1974-1984, Hirshhorn Museum and
Permanent Collections
Provinciaal Museum voor Actuele Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian
Kunst, Hasselt, Belgium Institution, Washington, D.C. (catalog) The Albuquerque Museum,
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam The Directed Image, G.H. Dalsheimer New Mexico
(catalog) Gallery, Baltimore
Akron Art Museum, Ohio
Fifth Anniversary Exhibition,
1984 Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco The Allen Memorial Art Museum,
Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York Oberlin College, Ohio
The Human Condition:
Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia
A Psychiatrists Perspective, Selections The Art Museum, Princeton
1985 The Unique Vision of Joel-Peter Witkin, from the Ramer Collection,
The Aspen Art Museum, Colorado San Francisco Museum of Modern University, New Jersey
Butler Gallery, Houston Art (catalog) Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris
FIAC 85, Galerie Texbraun, The Human Condition: SFMMA
at the Grand Palais, Paris Biennial III, San Francisco Museum High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Galerie Watari, Tokyo of Modern Art (catalog) International Museum of Photogra-
Institute Franco-American, Paris Radical Photography- The Bizarre phy at George Eastman House,
Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York Image, Nexus Gallery, Atlanta Rochester, New York
1985 American Images: Photography The J. Paul Getty Museum,
Selected Group Exhibitions 1945-1980, Barbican Art Gallery, Malibu, California
1976 1976 Exhibition of American Photog- London
Kansas City Art Institute, Missouri
raphy, Andromeda Gallery Ltd., Biennial Exhibition,
New York (catalog) Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art,
Light Work Community Darkroom, New York (catalog) New York
Syracuse, New York Extending the Perimeters of Twentieth-
Century Photography, San Francisco Musee Nationale d'Art Moderne et
New Photographies/76, Central de Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
Washington State University, Museum of Modern Art (catalog)
Ellensburg (catalog) The Sam Wagstaff Collection, Interna- San Francisco Museum of
tional Center of Photography, Modern Art
1977 18 CAPS Photographers, New York
The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Signs of the Times: Some Recurring
Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut Motifs in Twentieth-Century Photogra- University Art Museum, University
Photoerotica, San Francisco Camerawork phy, San Francisco Museum of of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1980 Contemporary Photographers of New Modern Art (catalog)
Victoria and Albert Museum,
Mexico, The Art Institute of Chicago London
Selected Bibliography
1981 The Markers, San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art (catalog) Albright, Thomas. "Perversely Fas-
Photographer as Printmaker, Ferens cinating Nightmares." San Francisco
Art Gallery, Hull, England (catalog) Chronicle, 30 July 1983, p. 33.
Badger, Gerald. "Beyond Arbus
and Bacon—The Photographs of
Joel-Peter Witkin." Zien 5, 1983,
p. 20.
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