Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8

Charles Gatewood
Untitled (Tattooed Man with Star on Forehead), Charles Gatewood Photography

c. 1980s

About the Item

Untitled (Tattooed Man with Star on Forehead), Charles Gatewood Photography Studio stamp in black ink, verso Gelatin silver print 14 x 11 inches, sheet 11.5 x 8 inches, image Charles Gatewood was a groundbreaking photographer known for capturing both mainstream celebrities and the fringes of society, especially the underground subcultures of the late 20th century. Born in 1942 in Illinois, Gatewood's career spanned over five decades, during which he photographed an array of notable figures, from Bob Dylan, whose photograph catapulted his career, to Beat poets like William S. Burroughs and civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. However, his legacy extends beyond celebrity portraits; Gatewood became deeply invested in documenting alternative lifestyles, particularly the BDSM and body modification communities, as well as events like the Folsom Street Fair and Burning Man in San Francisco. His early career began in Stockholm, where he worked as a darkroom technician and earned access to high-profile events, including jazz concerts. However, it was his iconic photograph of Dylan in 1966 that led to syndication and global recognition. Despite this early success, Gatewood veered away from celebrity photography, seeking instead to explore the darker, more taboo corners of human experience. He described his work as an effort to "take photographs that kill," aiming to reveal truths often ignored by mainstream media. Gatewood moved to San Francisco in 1987, where he continued to document the eccentricities of the city’s underground scene, working with publications like Skin and Ink magazine. His work was often seen as controversial, pushing boundaries with explicit depictions of sex and countercultural practices. Yet, Gatewood saw himself as an anthropologist of sorts, capturing the raw, unfiltered reality of these communities. His body of work includes numerous photography books, including Wall Street and Badlands, as well as several documentary films that showcased his explorations into fringe cultures. Tragically, Gatewood passed away in 2016 following a fall from his balcony, which is believed to have been a suicide attempt. His death marked the end of a life dedicated to documenting both the celebrated and the marginalized, leaving behind a vast archive of images that UC Berkeley’s Bancroft Library has preserved for future generations
  • Creator:
    Charles Gatewood
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1980s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Width: 11 in (27.94 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU932315215882

More From This Seller

View All
Couple, vintage gelatin silver contact print by Mike Disfarmer
By Mike Disfarmer
Located in New York, NY
Couple, vintage gelatin silver contact print by Mike Disfarmer Couple c. 1940 Vintage gelatin silver contact print 3.25 x 2.25 inches
Category

1940s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Saltbox
By Ion Zupcu
Located in New York, NY
Toned gelatin silver print Signed and numbered in pencil, verso 15 x 15 inches (Edition of 10) 30 x 30 inches (Edition of 3) From the series, "American Homes" This artwork is offe...
Category

2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

French Colonial
By Ion Zupcu
Located in New York, NY
Toned gelatin silver print Signed and numbered in pencil, verso 15 x 15 inches (Edition of 10) 30 x 30 inches (Edition of 3) From the series, "American Homes" This artwork is offe...
Category

2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Surfer with White Board
By Patrick Cariou
Located in New York, NY
Gelatin silver print Signed, verso 24 x 20 inches, sheet 22 x 17 inches, image This photograph is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City.
Category

20th Century Contemporary Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sardinia
By Ralph Gibson
Located in New York, NY
captured in the 1970s, printed in 2003 Signed and dated, recto Gelatin silver print (Edition 1 of 50) 30 x 40 inches
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sardinia
Price Upon Request
JFK with Bobby Kennedy, Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, July 14, 1960
By Jacques Lowe
Located in New York, NY
This is a black and white photograph of JFK and RFK taken by Jacques Lowe in July 1960 offered for sale by CLAMP in New York City.
Category

1960s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

You May Also Like

Untitled (Erotos) – Nobuyoshi Araki, Tongue, Hair, Nude, Japanese, Photography
By Nobuyoshi Araki
Located in Zurich, CH
Nobuyoshi ARAKI (*1940, Japan) Untitled (Erotos), 1993 Gelatin silver print Sheet 101.6 x 76.2 cm (40 x 30 in.) Print only – Nobuyoshi Araki Nobuyoshi Araki (Tokyo, 1940) is a Tokyo...
Category

1990s Contemporary Nude Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Untitled (Diary) – Lina Scheynius, Black and White, Human Figure, Nude, Erotic
By Lina Scheynius
Located in Zurich, CH
LINA SCHEYNIUS (*1981, Sweden) Untitled (Diary), 2002 Fibre-based silver gelatin print, hand proofed by the artist. Image 40 x 60 cm (15 3/4 x 23 5/8 in.) Sheet 50 x 70 cm (19 5/8 x ...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Untitled (Calendar) – Lina Scheynius, Black and White, Photography, Shadow, Hand
By Lina Scheynius
Located in Zurich, CH
Lina Scheynius (*1981 Sweden) Untitled (Calendar), 2012 Fibre-based silver gelatin print, hand proofed by the artist. Image 16 x 24 cm (6 1/4 x 9 1/2 in.) ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

"Alphabet City"
By Jefferson Hayman
Located in Astoria, NY
Jefferson Hayman (American, b. 1969), "Alphabet City", Gelatin Silver Print, apparently unsigned, ebonized wood frame. Image: 11.75" H x 8" W; frame: 18.5" H x 14.5" W. Provenance: F...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Water Glass 62
By Amanda Means
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Presented by The Merchant House Gallery, Amsterdam (www*merchanthouse*nl). Please note: We have a special deal / discount through Fedex. Shipping prices are negotiable. Gelatin silver print. 117 x 96.5 cm. Edition of 5 (frame on request). Amanda Means...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Water Glass 70
By Amanda Means
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Presented by The Merchant House Gallery, Amsterdam (www*merchanthouse*nl). Please note: We have a special deal / discount through Fedex. Shipping prices are negotiable. Gelatin silver print. 56 x 46 cm. Edition of 20 (frame on request). Amanda Means...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Recently Viewed

View All