Christian Witkin

Young Hamer Girl, Ethiopia

2003

Christian Witkin, was born in Manchester, England, in 1966 to an American father and Dutch mother. He lived in Amsterdam until 1984 when at age 17 he moved to America to pursue his education at Syracuse University and graduated with a B.A. in fine arts and photography. In 1987, after interning for the summer, Witkin made the decision to move to New York City and assist full time, working for such noted photographers as Peter Lindbergh, Bruce Weber and Annie Leibovitz. After assisting for four years, in 1993, Witkin launched his independent career receiving instant recognition as an important and fresh voice in the photographic community and the art world. His work immediately began to bring him critical and editorial acclaim. Major campaigns and awards followed. With a noted artistic father and uncle, Witkin grew up exposed to the cutting edge of visual expression, allowing for his visual development as an artist to begin at an early age. His continuing desire to deconstruct his world to its most basic parts has much to do with his research for the truth. He strips things down of all artifice until what is before you is the pure essence of the subject.