Photography and medicine have shared a deep connection since the invention of the daguerreotype, with early doctors using photographs to document anatomy, disease, and trauma.

Mütter Museum: Photographs continues this legacy, showcasing the work of contemporary photographers like Joel-Peter Witkin, Olivia Parker, and William Wegman, alongside the museum's historical photographic collection. The exhibition explores medical imagery as both documentation and metaphor, reflecting on the human condition through visual interpretations of bodily fragmentation, abnormality, and transformation. Some artists focus on the poetic isolation of body parts, while others play with the museum's space and medical artifacts.

Founded by Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter in the 19th century, the Mutter Museum houses a renowned anatomical and pathological collection preserved by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Today, it captivates a modern audience, offering a rare glimpse into the profound and sometimes unsettling aspects of human biology, suffering, and resilience through arresting photographic art.

WORKS
48

DIMENSIONS

14 x 13 to 45 x 31 (inches)

SPACE REQUIREMENTS

Aprox. 200 linear feet

INQUIRIES

exhibitions@curatorial.org
626.577.0044