In Keith Carter's work, there is always more than meets the eye. The contemporary American photographer's pictures have a Surrealist quality, and Carter has a way of transforming the ordinary into the otherworldly. He strives to bring out the significance of the moment with black and white, figurative and abstract photography that has a deep sense of time and place.
Carter was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1948. He grew up in Beaumont, Texas, where he also studied business management at Lamar University, graduating in 1970. After finding himself drawn to taking pictures, Carter started working as a commercial photographer.
Photography proved a successful and fruitful calling, and Carter earned recognition for his work over the years. In 1997, his photography was nationally televised on CBS Sunday Morning. Celebrities also started collecting Carter's photographs, including Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg, Diane Keaton, Elton John, Vanessa Redgrave and Barack Obama.
Carter was awarded the Texas Medal of Arts in 2009. Unfortunately, that same year, he was diagnosed with melanoma in his left eye, leaving him with limited vision. His photographic work helped him get through the experience: he even decided to make photographs focused on sight itself. Carter began experimenting with materials like silver gelatin and archival pigment to mimic the cloudiness of his vision.
Carter is represented by PDNB Gallery in Dallas, Texas, as well as by other galleries across the United States. In speaking to Introspective, the owners of PDNB Gallery describe Carter as a "Texas legend" and explain that they were following his work before they even opened their gallery. Their first 1997 show with the artist was described as a "blockbuster."
Carter's work is held in the collections at the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and many more prestigious institutions. He holds the Endowed Walles Chair of Art at Lamar University and continues to exhibit and hold workshops across the United States.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of original Keith Carter photography.
Pinocchio on Dove
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 25 Signed, titled, dated and numbered. Paper size: 17 x 22 in. Image size: 16 x 20 in. Keith Carter is an American photographer who is known for his dreamlike black and w...
Archival Pigment
Gossamer Autumn
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Sky & Water During our historic pandemic, I began morning walks through the marshlands west of town. I felt that I was walking through prehistory, and could count on seeing at least one small miracle each day: luminous reflected clouds in water, a nonchalant bobcat, frolicking river otters...
Archival Pigment
Turner Clouds, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Turner Clouds, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by the...
Archival Ink
Swirls, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Swirls, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by the Los An...
Archival Ink
Sunken Weathervane, color photograph, signed and numbered, limited edition
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Sunken Weathervane, color photograph, signed and numbered, limited edition Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” b...
Archival Ink
Lone Pine, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Lone Pine, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by the Los...
Archival Ink
Laguna Salinas, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Laguna Salinas, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by th...
Archival Ink
Illuminated Tree, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Illuminated Tree, color photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by ...
Archival Ink
Ibis on Clouds, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Ibis on Clouds, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordina...
Archival Ink
Flying V, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Flying V, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” b...
Archival Ink
Egret and Crane, color photograph, signed and numbered, limited edition
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Egret and Crane, color photograph, signed and numbered, limited edition. Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary” by t...
Archival Ink
Bullrushes, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered
By Keith Carter b.1948
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Bullrushes, color landscape photograph, limited edition, signed and numbered Keith Carter’s work explores time, place, and vernacular culture. Described as a “Poet of the Ordinary”...
Archival Ink
H 64 in W 48 in
Signed Michael Jackson Black Glove Photograph, Limited Edition of 7
By Tom Schierlitz
Located in San Francisco, CA
a highly detailed still life photograph of the king of pop's iconic sequin and rhinestone crystal glove Black Glove (Michael Jackson) by Tom Schierlitz...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
H 36 in W 26 in
Saint Pedro de San José
By Fidel Santos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In Fidel Santos' photograph, Pedro de San José Betancur, the artist looks towards a representation of a worn but otherwise stoic figure. The composition focuses exclusively on the sa...
Plexiglass, Archival Ink, Mixed Media
H 28 in W 42 in
Golf Green
By Zoe Wetherall
Located in New York, NY
28"x42" photograph, edition of 5 signed on reverse. In this photograph by Zoe Wetheral, a curved line of bushes separates finely mowed grass from a dense blue water, carefully mani...
Archival Pigment
H 42 in W 56 in D 0.2 in
Dutch dog #3 King Charles Spaniels - Animal signed limited edition contemporary
By Tim Platt
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Dutch dog #3 King Charles Spaniels - Signed limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 3 A series of four images inspired by the 17th century go...
Archival Paper, Color, Giclée, Pigment, Archival Pigment, Photographic P...
VINCENT, Flowers, Photography, Color, abstract, still life
Located in München, BY
Edition of 3 Comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity Josef Fischnaller is one of the most compelling contemporary photographers working in the field of staged photography. ...
Archival Pigment
H 67 in W 48 in
Caleidoscope II Abstract Photography, Signed Edition of 7, 67x48\"
By Christian Stoll
Located in San Francisco, CA
Mesmerizing abstract color play of muted tones and surreal shapes, from a series of still life works created entirely in camera Caleidoscope II by Christian Stoll 67 x 48 inches (1...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Giclée
H 40 in W 31 in
Persephone VIII ( 40 x 31" / 102 x 79cm )
By Erik Pawassar
Located in San Francisco, CA
Persephone VIII by Erik Pawassar 40 x 31 inches (102 x 79cm) edition of 25 signed 62 x 48 inches (157 x 122cm) edition of 7 signed archival fine art pigment print signed & numbe...
Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Giclée
H 40 in W 60 in D 0.1 in
'Sunday's Tulips (I)' Large Scale Photograph bold flower pastel red orange white
By Sophia Milligan
Located in Penzance, GB
'Sunday's Tulips (I)' 40 x 60" edition Limited edition archival photograph, hand signed and numbered. Unframed _________________ Gauzy afternoon light, the tulips are stretching soft...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Giclée, Archival Pigment
H 64 in W 80 in D 2 in
Machina Mundi Lisboa, Praça do Município II
By Claudio Edinger
Located in New York City, NY
In Machina Mundi, Claudio Edinger offers an aerial vision of the city that oscillates between photographic representation and pictorial abstraction. Captured with a large-format came...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
H 40 in W 60 in D 0.1 in
'Spring couplet' Large Scale Photograph Cherry blossom Sakura flowers white pink
By Sophia Milligan
Located in Penzance, GB
'Spring Couplet' ('Mono No Aware' Series) 40 x 60" edition Limited edition archival photograph, hand signed and numbered. Unframed _________________ The dance of the cherry blossoms ...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Digital, Giclée, Archi...
H 24 in W 20 in
Papilio ulysses
By Jo Whaley
Located in Sante Fe, NM
THE THEATER OF INSECTS Insects depicted larger than life, approach a human scale. One can confront them face to face and wonder at their structure and designs. In these images, the...
Archival Pigment
H 44 in W 55 in D 2 in
Veld 12, Noordoostpolder, Flevoland, The Netherlands, 2016
By David Burdeny
Located in New York City, NY
Veld 12, Noordoostpolder, Flevoland, The Netherlands, 2016 Edition of 10 + 2AP “These works present my abiding interest in the thresholds that divide and connect the sea to land. I ...
Archival Pigment