Customer Reviews

Disciple & Master

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This book, whose "original French edition" was "Joel-Peter Witkin, disciple et maître" published in Paris by Marval in 2000, is valuable for two reasons. First, it "unites Witkin's photographs" with previous photos that inspired Witkin; in contrast, to understand some of Witkin's famous photographs based on paintings*, you often need to scurry around to find reproductions of the paintings. Second, similar to Ansel Adams's book "Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs" (1989), this book gives insights into the artist's thought processes that led to the creation of his photos.

This book starts with an essay, "Joel-Peter Witkin, Disciple and Master" by Pierre Borhan. It rambles a bit, but is overall informative.

The central part of the book is "Becoming a Camera" with "texts by" and "selection of images" by Witkin, and "with the collaboration of Eugenia Parry." Here are the names of the photographers who inspired Witkin, and the titles of Witkin's resulting works: Mayer & Pierson -> "The Prince Imperial, New Mexico, 1981"; Weegee -> "Fetishist, San Francisco, 1981"; Jacques Henri Lartigue -> "Collector of Fluids, New Mexico, 1982"; Wilhelm von Gloeden -> "Von Gloeden in Asien, New York, 1984"; unidentified -> "Amour, New Mexico, 1987"; Lewis Carroll -> "Apollonia and Dominatrix Creating Pain in the Art of the West, New York City, 1988"; Carl Lumholz -> "Nude with Mask, Los Angeles, 1988"; Brassai -> "Woman with Appendage, New Mexico, 1988"; Charles Negre -> "Negre's Fetishist, Paris, 1990"; Man Ray -> "Woman Once a Bird, Los Angeles, 1990"; Walker Evans -> "Feast of Fools, Mexico City, 1990"; Diane Arbus -> "Man with Dog, Mexico, 1990"; Jean-Baptiste Sabatier-Blot -> "Satiro, Mexico, 1992"; Felix Nadar and Adrien Tournachon -> "Dog on a Pillow, Marseille 1994"; Charles Winter -> "Studio de Winter, Paris, 1996"; Roger Fenton -> "Who Naked Is, Paris, 1996"; Henri Cartier-Bresson -> "The Shepherd's Sunday, Rome, 1996"; Disfarmer -> "Black Man, Rome, 1996"; Kimura Kenichi -> "The Eggs of My Amnesia, Rome, 1996"; unidentified -> "Abundance, Prague, 1997"; Roger Fenton -> "Still Life with Mirror, 1998"; Etienne-Jules Marey -> "Beauty has Three Nipples, Berlin, 1998"; unidentified -> "Anna Akhmatova, Paris, 1998"; F. Holland Day -> "Crucified Horse, New Mexico, 1998"; Henri Manuel -> "Shoe-F__ker, Paris, 1998"; and Horst P. Horst -> "Humor and Fear, New Mexico, 1998."

A one-page epilogue by Witkin (stating, among other things, "I know that I will be remembered as a Christian artist" and "I believe that my work will make a contribution to history") and credits conclude the book. Buy this and other books by and about Witkin** at Amazon.com!

Note: This book is not for the squeamish. As is common in Witkin's work, the book shows plenty of nudity, body parts, S&M, a dead baby, a dead fetus, etc. And the "Nude with Mask" is a four-year-old girl.

* Among which are: "Las Meninas, New Mexico" (1987) which was inspired by "The Family of Philip IV or 'Las Meninas' " (1656) by Diego Velázquez de Silva; "Gods of Earth and Heaven" (1988) which was inspired by "The Birth of Venus" (1485) by Botticelli; and "Studio of the Painter (Courbet), Paris" (1990) which was inspired by "The Artist's Studio: a Real Allegory of a Seven-Year Phase in My Artistic and Moral Life" (1855) by Gustave Courbet.

** Such as: "Joel-Peter Witkin: Forty Photographs" (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1985 & 1992); "Joel-Peter Witkin" (Twelvetrees Press, 1985); "Gods of Earth and Heaven" (Twelvetrees Press, 1989 & 1991); "Harms Way: Lust & Madness, Murder & Mayhem: A Book Of Photographs" (Twin Palms, 2nd ed., 1994); "Witkin" (with text by Germano Celant, Scalo, 1995); "The Bone House" (Twin Palms, 1998); and "Joel-Peter Witkin" (by Eugenia Parry, Phaidon, 2001).

This book gives readers a unique view into the work and mind of Joel-Peter Witkin. Not only does it provide us with a good sampling of his own thought-provoking imagery, but also with visual references of the works that have influenced his photographs. In addition, Witkin gives us, in his own words, written insight, a personal interpretation of some of the images he has created. It is put together nicely with the text preceeding the photographs so that the photos occupy seperate pages. In this way the text enhances the viewing rather than interrupts it.
Highly recommended.

A book that will satisfy both the avid fans of Joel Peter Witkin's art and newcomers to this modern genius' output. We earn more about influence and process than we ever thought we would know. This beautifully presented volume is both an homage to Witkin's mentors and a celebration of his gifts as Master of the Bizarre. A fine addition to the volumes on Witkin and to the library of Fine Art Photography in general.

This book offers a key to Joel-Peter Witkin's art missing from previously publications featuring his work. His choice of 'ancestors' for his own work is enlightening, fascinating, stimulating and often startling. Anyone interested in photographic history and photographic purposes can learn from this book. An additional bonus is that it is beautifully designed and produced.

Very nice publication of photographs by an amazing artist. Not the best resolution of the pictures but quite adequate to learn from.