ENFER OU CIEL - HEAVEN OR HELL

Edited by Anne Biroleau

Published by Éditions de la Martinière, Paris | 2012
Hardcover, 240 pages, duotone images
Size: 30.5 x 22.4 cm
Language: French & English
ISBN: 9782732451947
Condition: Brand New

American photographer Joel-Peter Witkin (b. 1939) is renowned for his unique, provocative, and often disturbing body of work. Enfer ou ciel / Heaven or Hell presents a compelling survey of Witkin’s career, exploring the metaphysical, philosophical, and sometimes mystical dimensions of his photography. His subjects often drawn from marginalized communities, including transsexuals, sadomasochists, the mentally ill, and the physically handicapped reveal the glory and misery of the flesh, transcending mere spectacle to probe the human condition at its most profound.

This volume also situates Witkin’s work in dialogue with art history, showcasing influences from masters such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, Rops, Picasso, and Ensor. Witkin’s techniques collage, palimpsest, manipulation of negatives and filters create images that are tactile, layered, and deeply resonant, placing him in the lineage of Sade, Bataille, and Christian mystics.