Joel-Peter Witkin (born September 13, 1939) is an American photographer known for his provocative and often controversial photographic tableaux. His work frequently explores themes of death, the grotesque, spirituality, and morality, often featuring ornate models including people with dwarfism and transgender individuals. Born in Brooklyn to a Jewish father and a Roman Catholic mother, Witkin served as a combat photographer in Vietnam from 1961 to 1964 before beginning his career as an official photographer for City Walls Inc. in 1967. He studied sculpture at Cooper Union and received graduate degrees from the University of New Mexico. His artistic vision is characterized by a juxtaposition of beauty and revulsion, drawing heavily on art history and religious iconography.[1,2,3]
